College Football Live - Throwback Thursday

Episode Date: December 21, 2023

Host Kelsey Riggs joined by Sam Acho & Dusty Dvoracek as they continue to talk about life inside & out of the transfer portal & debate if this might the best Texas squad we have all seen in years. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome to college football live. I'm Kelsey Riggs, and we're coming out the tunnel with this. Florida State scheduled a special board of trustees meeting for tomorrow. What does it mean for their ACC future? Andrea Adelson standing by with the very latest. And with the early signing day period in the rearview mirror, we take a look at the winners and the losers from yesterday's national signing day. How concerned should we be about USC? And finally, Texas is back competing for a national championship for the first time. and over a decade. How does this year's team compare to the teams of 2005 and 2009? And do we dare say it? Sam Ellinger.

We're back to declare this. Probably not quite yet, but we will see. Destiny Department of Tech, Sam Ocho, with me, Kelsey Riggs. For the next half hour here on college football live, we'll get to that. But let's start with the big news in college football right now. And that's the news coming out of Tallahassee. As Florida State has called a special board of trustees meeting for Friday. morning. No official reason was given for the meeting, but sources indicated to ESPN that the board is expected to discuss its long-term athletics future. This is all coming from our college football reporter Andrea Adelson, who has been all over this story from the start. She joins us now with more here on college football live.

And Andrea, this comes, of course, a couple weeks after Florida State was left out of the college football playoff. What are we expecting to hear in this meeting tomorrow morning? Well, I'm expecting there to be a discussion of the grant of rights with the ACC because that's at the crux of all of this. Florida State has made it known over the last year. They haven't really been happy with the direction of the conference, what the revenue has looked like, the revenue sharing, trying to get a bigger piece of the television pie. They have been talking about this for months and months from the athletic director to the board of trustees to the university president. So the first step in trying to do anything to navigate your future and your long-term future is to look at that ACC Granta-Rich, which ties schools to the ACC through 2036, the length of the television contract, and essentially gives the ACC control of all media rights that includes the ability to broadcast games and the ability to make money off of your media rights. So that, to me, is what this discussion is going to center on. What are the options for Florida State moving forward when it comes to potentially challenging that grant of rights? It has been described as ironclad, but there have been schools that have been looking at it in the past. Florida State, of course, one of them diving in even more now.

Andrea, I mentioned the timeline. This has been a couple of weeks now since the college football playoff committee made its decision. But now Florida State has decided to have this meeting of their trustees tomorrow. Why now? What's happening? Well, there was a lot of anger and frustration over getting laughed out of the college. football playoff. I don't think I'm breaking any news by saying that. And the anger and frustration led to conversations among the university. It's Board of Trustees and Athletic Department about, okay, is this the time that we should move forward to figure out what our long-term future looks like because of everything they've said about the conference affiliation over the last year.

Remember, this is not just happening in a vacuum. We all know what realignment has looked like over the last two years. We all know what the landscape has looked like over the last two years. to make sure they're ensuring their future so that they can continue to make money and stay relevant in college football. So what happened on Sunday, Selection Sunday, only exacerbated the feelings that they already had about the frustration of being in the ACC. And now it's come time for them to have a full discussion as a board about what they need to do moving forward. It's something definitely to keep an eye on tomorrow morning that meeting at 10 a.m. I'm sure Andrea Adelson will be back and have more with the very latest throughout then. and the weekend, Andrea, we appreciate the update here on college football live.

All right, so Dusty and Sam back with me now. And Dusty, obviously, a lot would have to happen for Florida State to actually make this happen. But should Dusty Florida State be looking to leave the ACC? Look, no surprise here. And Andrea nailed it. I mean, she had on all the key points. And I don't think anything we're seeing is surprising. People at Florida State are mad.

They were mad before the season about this contract that they're a part of through 2036. They know the Delta they're going to be at compared to the Big Ten compared to the SEC. And they want out. They want to control their own destiny. You'll be able to forge their own path forward for the future of Florida State in the big landscape of college football. And testing the grant of rights is that first step. That's what this meeting tomorrow is about. Andrew is 100% right.

And I think that they believe that they can challenge this. And if they do, that opens the door for them to then have momentum. I don't think they know where that path forward is. Is it in the SEC? Is it in the Big Ten? I don't think they know that. But the first step to any of this is for them to get their lawyers and be able to say, challenge this grant of rights and say, no, it cannot stand up in the court of law.

And I think that once they get that answer, they can then start to really assess what their options are. And I think it's more than just testing the grant of rights. It's trying to get out of that grant of rights. And not just by yourself, it's doing it with a couple of different teams. I think if you're an ACC team, if you're part of the ACC conference, you're saying, okay, what if we were Florida State? What if we weren't when undefeated?

And then what if we were left out of the college football playoff? Man, you look at the state of college football in it. You see the SEC. You see even the Pact 12, what they were at least this year. So I think Florida State, one of their best paths forward is, yes, to test and try to find a way out of the grant of rights, but also partner with other ACC teams, at least powerhouses, maybe a Clemson,

which there have been conversations and maybe a North Carolina and say, what if we got together and we put a little bit more pressure on this grant of rights and we all got out and then had some more freedom and sustainability for not only the ACC, but for our specific schools? Well, there's no doubt, Sam, look, this is not just about Florida State, but Florida State's going to be the first one. They've been the one that's been loud. They've been making noise.

They've been letting everybody know they're not happy. Those other schools, they've been a little bit more quiet, but they have the same feelings. And what's really going to happen here, if it's a go for Florida State to be able to break the grant of rights, it's a go for everybody. So I think everybody's just in a wait-and-see mode.

We just have a very motivated, very passionate Florida State program right now that's going to get out in front and be that initial team that's going to test this and see exactly what's what. But you're exactly right. This won't just be about Florida State,

Clemson, North Carolina, NC State. There's been several programs in the ACC that have voiced their displeasure with this contract. So best believe, if Florida State finds a way out, they'll be the first of potentially several schools in the ACC. It's going to be really interesting because you guys have touched on it. It is something that, of course, you should look at, but it's not like they haven't looked at it in the past. They've tried to look at getting out. So it'll be interesting to see we're talking about hundreds of millions of dollars. So what can you do now to maybe start that process? Maybe it's not now. Maybe it's 2030. Maybe it's getting out before 2036.

but going to be really interesting to see how it pans out for Florida State. And as you guys mentioned, some of the other schools that have voiced their displeasures about the revenue gap as well. Meanwhile, one thing Florida State does have to be happy about is how they did on signing day. They were one of the top 10 classes came in at number nine. But the other big storylines were, of course, what happened with the number one recruiting class. That's Georgia again. The eighth time they rank at least top three under Kirby Smart. Also, Oregon, they had a big day.

flipped a pair of wide receivers, Jeremiah McClellan from Ohio State and Ryan Pelham from USC. And speaking of USC, they failed to get quarterback DJ LaGuey who committed to Florida. So let's talk biggest winners and biggest losers from what we saw on early signing day. And let's start with the good Sam. Who was the biggest winner in your opinion? Oregon was the biggest winner in my opinion. And some of it is because those two receivers that you saw, but it's also who they're going to be throwing to. Right. Turn on the tape of Ryan Pelham, Jeremiah McClellan.

All you see is speed, and that speed matters. Why? Because Troy Franklin, who led the team with nearly 1,400 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns, is going to the NFL. So now you have Dylan Gabriel, who, yes, is a prolific passer, but also ran for 12 touchdowns. So he's mobile. He's going to be throwing it to them. Will Stein coordinated last year, right? Dante Moore in the future.

So it's not just for this year, but for the future of Oregon, Dan Lannning, the head coach, who was at Georgia as an assistant. Has on a phenomenal job not only in the transfer portal, but also when it comes to recruiting. Dan Lannning, it's ABC. Always be recruiting and closing, too, as he proved yesterday. Look, they've got the resources there in Eugene. Phil Knight is back in that thing, and they can go after whoever they want. The facilities are there.

There's a reason he quickly took his name out of that Texas A&M job. They've got it rolling right now. What I love, look at some of those recruiting. They're recruiting class he brought in top five defense to tackle, top five edge players. top five offensive tackle. He's getting the players in the trenches. It's going to take to have sustained success at a championship level. Dan Lending learned from the best.

He worked under Nick Saban. He worked under Kirby Smart. And he's doing the exact same thing out West. It has been really fun to watch the impact that he has had. And also we mentioned transfers as well. The quarterback room going to be really interesting to watch how that plays out, not just for this year, but as they continue building for the future as well. That's a big storyline.

Dusty, give me another one that really caught your attention. from yesterday's early signing day. Look, there's a lot, Kelsey. I could go Miami. I could go George. I could go Bama. But take me to Lincoln, Nebraska, and what Matt Rule is doing in year number two.

I love when I saw Dylan Rayola was going to go and follow his father's footsteps and go try to resurrect this Nebraska program. We're talking about the number one pocket passer in this class. The kid can throw it all over the field, takes care of the football, and it's exactly what Nebraska needs. Nebraska had five, One loss score or one score losses this year.

Four of them were by a field goal. And the quarterback play, it was abysmal. Quarterback play 52% completion collectively, 10 touchdowns to 16 interceptions. If they had average quarterback play, they'd be bowling. It would have been competitive in the Western Division. Dylan Rayola, I think he's going to be the starter immediately.

And really what this does, it creates a buzz for Matt Rule. Other recruits want to come play with Dylan Ryola. And I think it just lets everybody know. there's a new sheriff in Lincoln, Nebraska, and I think he is going to be that centerpiece to get Nebraska football back in the national landscape, which can we not all agree? College football is better when Nebraska is relevant,

and I think this is the piece that gets them back on track. That was a big time flip for them to be able to get Dylan Rayola, Georgia, of course, had a big flip yesterday of their own, getting KJ Bolden to come over to them. Those are some of the big winners. Let's talk a little bit about somebody that maybe had a tougher day, Sam, and that's USC. We had already seen some transfer.

is coming out. We have seen some decommitments. Sam, when you look at USC in the immediate future, are you concerned? I am concerned. And part of the reason why is Caleb Williams, their star quarterback, may be leaving. And so we'll see what they do at the quarterback position. But also, look at how bad the defense was last year, one of the worst in all of college football. And yes, they fired their defensive coordinator. But if I'm a defensive star, let's say I'm a high school recruiter, maybe I'm one of the top college players in the transfer portal. I don't know if I would go to go play at USC because I don't know what their defense is going to look like. If I want to go to the NFL, I want to go to a team, let's say like Georgia, Alabama,

even Texas has been playing great. Teams where you say, okay, look at what's on tape. I want to be a part of that. And so the uncertainty hurts. I remember when I was getting recruited out of high school and I was thinking at different schools and there was a school that didn't have a head coach at the time. They were in this period of transition and I didn't go to that school. Now, fast forward, they ended up being better as the year went on once they got their head

coach. But there was that uncertainty and that uncertainty caused a little. bit of doubt, I think that's what's happening with USC and their recruits. Yeah, I'm with you, Sam. I smell TROUBLE out in Los Angeles right now for this Trojan's football team. But they had a mass exodus of players via the portal on the defensive side, as well as the offensive side. And some of their better players, Taki Curtis was a dude at linebacker for him this year. Demani Jackson, former five star corner as well as Corey Foreman. He was the top five overall player, but you're seeing it offensively. Malachi Nelson was

supposed to be the crown jewel of last year's recruiting class. And for whatever reason, maybe he's not ready. Maybe he wants to go. This is interesting to see this many players leaving, and it's not just defense, offense, as well. And when you look at USC in the recruiting class yesterday, they finished 18th in the country. Look, Lincoln Riley, when he left Oklahoma, he said he was going out west because that's the place he can recruit the players to win playoff games and compete for championships. But it hasn't been the case since he's taken over there. And I've got to tell you guys, when you look at that schedule next year going to Big Ten, it is unbelievably daunting. And I think it's going to be a real struggle for this team to make a bowl game.

So they're going to have to get things fixed and get them fixed quickly for this to turn into what everybody thought under Lincoln Riley at USC. As you take a look at the schedule, not going to be an easy one, as you mentioned. And I'll say it so you don't have to say it, the 18th recruiting class for USC, Oklahoma, with the number seven recruiting class. So something to keep an eye on in the future years down the road. Meanwhile, still to come on College Football Live, Texas back in the CFP. Are they actually back, though?

We dive into what it looked like when Texas was at the top, and if we should believe, that's where they'll get again. After winning the College Football National Championship in 2005, Texas has failed to claim even a conference title in more than a decade. This year, however, the Longhorns are not only Big 12 champions, but the number three team in the college football playoff. Ryan McGee takes a look at Texas' past attempts at great. to consider if the program can finally complete its ascent back to the top. Texas is back. Yeah, yeah, I know. That sentence comes with more baggage than the old lady in Titanic.

How many times since that January night in O'S when Vince Young took over the Rose Bowl, had we dared to declare that Texas was back? How many times were the Longhorns handed a spot in the preseason AP top top top? or even the top 10. And think of the Texas size helping the votes they have hooked over and over again in the pre-season Big 12 Media Park. And then seemingly every fall. We were forced to watch them, yes, fall again and again,

like a burnt orange Ciccissus trying to climb Mount Bunnell. No conference championships since 2009. Charlie Strong, Tom Herman. A lot of visits to the Texas and Alamo bowls. No offense, Houston and San Antonio. And the one New Year 6 invite they did receive, the 2019 Sugar Bowl, it's not so much remembered for the win over Georgia

as it is for, well, you know. We're back. But now, Texas being back is undeniable. In college football's final four, after winning the Big 12 title for the fourth and final time. Texas is back is not a punchline. And the win that ultimately earned the horn their playoff invite came way back in week two. When they made a weird back statement by keeping CFP Gold Standard Bama on its back all day in Tuscaloosa.

Quarterback Quinn Ewers came back after missing two games with the shoulder end and was back in September form in the Big 12 championship game. Ewers to perfection. A trio of running backs, C.J. Baxter, Jaden Blue, and Keelan Robinson had the Texas rushing game back after a season-ending injury to Jonathan Brooks. All while the Texas D, surrendering only 17 and a half points per game, routinely has their opponents backs to the wall. This Texas defense plant with just incredible energy. And there is no greater comeback than that. of Steve Sarkozy, whose big-time head coaching career appeared to have been hooked off stage nearly a decade ago.

So, is Texas back for good? There's no way of knowing, not yet anymore, especially with their move into the SEC next season. But they are most definite, finally, back in the National College Football Conversation. And their stock is most definitely horns of them. All right. So, Sam, you were on that 2009 team that was playing for a national championship. Texas, back in the college football playoff. Are they back? Well, it's not an answer that Texas people love to give because it's one of those things that it could be a punchline. But the fact of the matter is this Texas team is legit, right?

I would say you're back on your winning national championships, but they are legit. Look at what's happened in recruiting over the last several weeks. I was talking to the SID. He was saying, man, the fact that we're in the. this playoff is huge for our recruits. And National signing day, Texas has again a top recruiting class. And you go to Transfer Portal. Adonite Mitchell was playing

for Georgia last year in the playoffs. And he played great in that game. He transfers to play receivers. Then you look at guys like Keelan Robinson. He was at Alabama before. And so whether or not Texas is back or not still to be determined as in the next couple weeks, but you're seeing recruit

start to come from top programs. You're seeing players from the state start to stay, but also players and recruits from outside of the state are starting to see how great this team and defense is. Just real quick point about the defense. Devonre Sweat, defensive player of the year, Outland Trophy winner, this defense allows

the fewest yards per yards between the tackles out of all of college football. And so it's impressive how great their defense is that we talk a lot about Steve Sarkesian, Quinn Ewers, and that offense. I'm with you, Sam. And look, I'll just say it. Texas is back.

They won a Big 12 championship in impressive fashion. They went to Tuscaloose. in one, regardless if they win a national championship, they're back and they're a big player in major college football. And the thing that I'm impressed the most with is the defense that you touched on. I look at the, I played against the 2005 team

and Vince Young, he was incredible. Unbelievable, so hard to stop. And that 09 team was obviously great with Colt McCoy and company. But defensively, look at that championship team at 05, the points per game, the third down defense, same as your defense in 2009. And when I look at this

Texas team, which I had four different times, to call their games this year. That defense always impressed me. They completely can stop out the run because you mentioned Devon Dre Sweat. What about Byron Murphy, Jalen Ford, the interior of that defense is outstanding. And their number two third down defense

in college football, when you can stop the run, you can get off the field on third down. You can compete for championships. We saw it in 05 and 09, and we're seeing it again here with this Texas team. Go ahead, Sam. I was going to say, and you talked about those days,

but the unsung heroes, names to watch and listen for when you watch this game versus Washington, listen for Baron Sorrell, defensive end. He's an unsung hero and Jad A Barron. Those two players, I think, will be the difference in the game. Sorrell on the edge, creating pressure in Joday Barron guarding either Jalen Polk, Jalen McMillan or maybe Roma Dunze. We're going to get to see just how back Texas is in just over a week college football playoff, taking on the number two team, Washington.

I like how Sam said, you say it, Dusty, so they can clip you off saying Texas is back. not me for the future shows. We got you locked up here on college football live. Meanwhile, just ahead. We've got Syracuse and USF in a bowl game tonight. And Q's has some big time names coming up north next season. What to expect tonight and in the future. That's next.

We're bowl season tonight. The roofclaim.com, Boko-Raton Bowl, Syracuse and USF, and the Bulls Dusty were a team that were won in 11 last year. Now they're playing for a bowl game. What's different? Alex Golish has been incredible. How about one win last year? Four wins over the last three years.

They get to six. And it's really Byron Brown, the quarterback, averaging 319 yards a game. That's seventh best in college football. 34 touchdowns. The red shirt freshman quarterback has been a problem all year. It'll be a problem tonight for Syracuse, Sam. And I can't wait to watch Syracuse, not just tonight, but in the future. Fran Brown is turning this program around.

Quarterback column of court from Ohio State is now there. The first game ever went to was a Syracuse game. Think about their basketball bumping, football bumping. I cannot wait. And they get to get out of the cold for this one and go down to Boko-Raton for a little while. So that's nice for those guys, Fran Brown, doing a great job on the recruiting trail and with transfers. We'll have more for you. Same time right here on College Football Live tomorrow.