College Football Live - Week 11 Fall Out!!

Episode Date: November 11, 2025

College Football Live brings you all the fall out from week 11. Hosted by Zubin Mehenti, along with Heather Dinich, Sam Acho, and Tom Luginbill. The CFB Live Crew breakdown what to expect from the CFP ranking, and we get into the heisman conversation. Plus we have a special guest Jacob Rodriguez joining the show and you don't want to miss what his coach had to say about him and Notre Dame. That and so much more here 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. Out of the tunnel here on college football live. You think Clemson and Florida State struggling is the ACC's biggest problem right now? We unveil a scenario in which they might be left out of the playoff altogether. We all know who's number one. Ohio State's earned it.

But how close is it between Indiana and Texas A&M for two and three hours before the committee weighs in? Our experts do. And he went from quarterback to linebacker to high. Heisman contender in three years, how Jacob Rodriguez did it. He joins College Football Live. And in five hours from now, it's reveal number two from the college football playoff committee where all these slots will be filled out, at least the first couple of rows.

The only thing we know for sure, it's going to look a lot different than last week. You know the playoff criteria has been tweaked a little bit, but for the purposes of today's edition of College Football Live, I want you to focus on the top two lines. A dozen teams, as you know, are in, including the five. five highest ranked conference champions. Keep that in your mind as we just hear over the next half hour. Another discussion point, how bad of a weekend it was for the ACC. Virginia's magic just ran out.

They had won seven in a row. They hadn't lost a fumble all season. And then they coughed up three in that loss to wake. And we'll wait to see what that means for their ACC chances. Louisville lost a Cal and OT. Cal feels like they could lose or beat anybody on any given Saturday and on this particular one in extra session, Justin Wilcox and company got it done. Duke lost to Yukon. Now, this is not going to affect them in the ACC race because, of course, it is a non-conference game, but it certainly

doesn't help the image of the league to be losing to the Huskies, which they did. So after all the carnage, who's got the best opportunities to make the ACC title game at this very moment Right now, by a hair, it's Georgia Tech at 52%. Duke, despite their up and down season and bad loss over the weekend, are just behind them at 50%. And with that, we welcome you inside college football live, Tom, Sam, Zubin, and the playoff insider, Heather Dinnich, who's going to really help us dig into this scenario we're about to talk to. Very interesting.

A lot of people are talking about it. So let's dig in with regards to the ACC and the CFP. are calling this, yes, the ACC doomsday scenario. Very apocalyptic, other, all right? So let's just run through this and we'll get everybody's thoughts, right? So we know Big Ten's getting their auto bid, SEC, of course, and the Big 12, of course. We said five, right? So two auto bids are left. Let's run through it. JMU, Signetti's old team. Let's say they run the table, win the Sunbelt, win the title game, they would be 12 and 1. Now, USF, who has been the darling of the G5 and the committee this year. Let's say they run the table. They win the,

they win the, they would finish at 11 and 2. And let's say for the purposes of this hypothetical exercise that Duke ends up winning the ACC. If Duke were to run the table and win out, you can see Heather's reaction right there, they could only finish at best nine and four. Simple math. Two spots left in the auto. Seems like to me, at least on the surface, this would be deserving. This would be deserving, and this one could be on the outside looking in. So you take us inside. What is the possibility that something like this could occur, and the ACC could be left out of the playoff entirely? It's definitely possible, but here's where I would pump the brakes on this. Tonight, when the ranking comes out, are both of these teams ranked? Unlikely. Uh-huh, right.

Unlikely. So I would expect South Florida right now to be the number 12. SEED. South Florida has a much better resume than James Madison, which has a strength of schedule of about 111 in the country. Their loss is to Louisville. Here's why I wouldn't rule out Duke entirely in this scenario. Duke in this scenario would have a win against the CFP top 25 team in Georgia Tech in the ACC championship game.

So the selection committee would have to weigh that win in the ACC title against J. B.MU's best win, which is against no one, maybe one team with a winning record. Old Dominion right now, it kind of looks like. That's not Georgia Tech. It's not, right? So you could have a four-loss ACC champion. You had a three-lossed ACC champion in last year in Clemson. How much different is that? The UConn loss is glaring. Okay, so it's a possibility. Sam, I want to go to you because you actually called JMU last week. From what you and what Heather is laid out, is this a deserving?

squad if it comes down to something like this? Well, it comes down to where they're going to be ranked in that first college football ranking and also where Louisville is going to be ranked. Why do I say that? Because JMU has one loss. Their one loss is to a Louisville team that was a top 15 or so team. That loss, really, it was tied going into the fourth quarter. So if Louisville continues

to win as a season goes on, that loss will look better for JMU. And so JMU has an opportunity to get a quote-unquote good-looking loss on their schedule and the way they're playing with Alonza Barnett at quarterback and their defense, one of the best defenses in the nation, they have a pathway. Yeah, you know, it's interesting because now you start getting into

schedules, strength of conference, who are you coming, week in and week out, regardless of that Louisville loss that was early in the season for JMU. But if you look over to South Florida, South Florida, I think, is a different animal. And I've had the opportunity to broadcast two of their games. And I can tell you right now, their quarterback, Byron Brown, could play

for any powerful school in America. He is an absolute nightmare to deal with. And Alex Colish and that staff completely remodeled this football team up front in the trenches on both sides of the ball to put together a team that is awfully difficult to handle. They've got great team speed. They on average get the playoff within 13 seconds on offense, so they're going at a rapid base, and Byron Brown is so difficult to handle. They're going to have the win on the road versus Florida. Obviously

they have the loss. It was a big loss on the road at Miami. They dismantled Boise in the opener and they just dismantled a team in UTSA that went out and beat Memphis a week ago on Friday night. Friday night. And I think you've got to be worried about in all

of this is South Florida, and I don't even think it's close. Well, let's say, loose to your point, South Florida does end up making the college football playoff. They have Navy this weekend. If they win that game, it's pretty much looks like it's smooth sailing. That's not my concern for the ACC.

My concern is not necessarily James Madison, but it's actually Duke, and why do I say that? Heather made a great point that Duke may have that a game versus Georgia Tech in the conference championship, but it also may not be Georgia Tech. It could be a team like SMU, which has multiple losses

that could make that conference championship game. There are five, one, lost teams in the ACC and many of those teams play each other, but SMU is not one of those teams that has to play some of those teams ahead of them. And then Duke has a chance to try to knock off this weekend, knock off Virginia, who is ahead of them. And so it might not be Georgia Tech that Duke plays if Duke ends up making it. It might be SMU, which may not be as big of a case for a team like Duke. Sam, that's a fantastic point that you bring up. But I also want to add on that it is not about the most deserving team.

This is specifically in the selection committee's protocol. Their jobs are to select the best team. So at 11 and 1 with a conference champion in the Sunbelt, JMU might look deserving, but the committee will also look at that game film to determine who is the best team. Because at the end of the day, that's what their job is. James Madison or Duke, how do you size it up? Tom kind of gave us his spiel here on USF, but 12 wins is gaudy.

I know they don't have a quality maybe win in this dozen, but if you just size these two up, let's say they're in. Let's just call them they're in based on what they did against Florida early in the season. This versus this. This is good luck selection committee. I mean, it's really wild that it could happen, but it is important for college football fans to know that the power for conferences do not have reservations at the table in the college football. ball playoff. It's the five highest ranked champions. And look, if the Sunbelt champion is one of

those five, then so be the same with the American. Same. And to your point, Heather, JMU versus Duke, you might lean towards JMU because of the statistics they're putting up. And also the losses that Duke has that locks to Yukon doesn't look good. A 36 point loss to Illinois in the early in the season by Duke doesn't look good. Another loss to Tulane doesn't look good. And so those losses are not impressive for Duke. AMU is dominating when it comes to the defensive side of the ball and also offense. Yeah, I'll just give the quick last word. In my estimation, the committee has always been focused so much on the lost column over the years.

Four is a tough number to see in the L column. We certainly know one team that will be in the rankings way above these three tonight. That's Ole Miss. Over the weekend, Lane Kiffin helped out with a marriage proposal. And then he proposed this about a fellow team in the league. you know Texas A&M being three you know what more do you want them to do to be one you know like I said when people want to schedule and they say okay man we need you to schedule hard teams you have nine SEC and then play another hard one well they went up to Notre Dame at one

what could that do if that's not rewarded you know so they got the highest metrics of everybody they're not number one with coach Kiffin you never know if he's being serious or trolling but in this particular case I think he was dead serious. He makes a good argument. They're the only undefeated team in the best conference in America. That should mean something. Does he have a point? It has a point, but it's not just about the schedule strength. When you look at Texas A&M, you see that they're number one in strength of record, and they're better than Indiana in strength of schedule. But inside that selection committee meeting room, there is talk about the Aggies defense. That's what a lot of it

centered on last week. They're really, really close. But when you want to find that fine separator, that's where they were looking. We're looking. Indiana statistically is still playing a little bit better ball on both sides than the Aggies. And the committee will consider that Texas A&M went on the road and beat up on a 19-year-old freshman quarterback who never played before. The fact that Missou was without Bo Pribula was a big deal. That's something that the committee is going to consider.

Well, and keep in mind, too, we're having this discussion about, you know, Texas A&M, could they be two? Could they be number one? Yet you look at Alabama, and I know they have the lost Florida State, but they also won four straight games without a buy against four ranked teams. And so where would they fall in all of this? One point about Indiana, I think that it needs to be said. The way that game played out in Happy Valley, that was the first time that Indiana has really struggled up front. In fact, you can make an argument that Penn State really got after them, beat them up, beat them up. Oh, they finished the game. I think it's going to carry a lot of weight with the committee because of the environment,

what they had to do to close the game. Indiana showed that they can win games without it looking easy. They showed that they can win late and make a game-winning drive in critical plays, in critical moments to secure the win on the road. And I understand that Penn State's not the team we all expected them to be. But that environment and that moment showed you something about who Indiana is as a football team, as a locker room, and as a culture. And I think that will carry some weight, even though it was close on the road.

How they want it means something. And it's not just how they won it when it Lugues. It's also who Indiana won the game with. They won the game without their best receiver, Elijah Surrat. He was out the entire game. And you saw so many other players step up, one being Omar Cooper, the one who made that catch at the end. So you talk about an Indiana team that was already ranked tired. They've done everything they're supposed to do as well.

So it's Ohio State. That's why they're also all those three teams are undefeated. but an Indiana team that won without their best offensive receiver, if you will, their best receiver, and then another team like A&M, which is right behind them, right, we're nitpicking, we're picking nits, A&M that beat a Missouri team, and Heather said it earlier, that was without their quarterback, the heartback, the heartbeat of playing a Missouri team that was playing with their red shirt freshman quarterback. So to my point, like, yeah, it might look like a 22nd ranked win for, but that wasn't the 22nd ranked team because they were playing without their quarterback.

I think potentially, Sam, when it's all said and done, if it's done, if things as plan and hold shock and you have those top four teams where they sit right now and they played in the Big Ten in the SEC championship game, if those were two, it may not matter anyway because I think you may end up with the same four teams in the final tally when it's all said and done. Last thing, tongue planted firmly in cheek. I know IU may have a best receiver, but if Omar Cooper Jr. is not their best receiver, I don't know who could possibly be the answer to that. that question. Just a reminder, here's what's on the way. Saturday. Local ABC station. Game day is at Pittsburgh for the first time in 20 years. Notre Dame is coming around. Oklahoma, Alabama, Texas, Georgia, under the lights, between the hedges. On the way, under the lights, a defender, winning the Heisman, being a candidate, and being the second toughest dude in his own relationship? Wait till you hear about this. Texas Tex. Jacob Rodriguez is next. When you're flying Emirates business class, relaxing in an exclusive airport lounge,

you'll see that your vacation isn't really over until your flight is over. Fly Emirates, fly better. Get no frills delivered. Shop the same in-store prices online and enjoy unlimited delivery with PC Express Pass. Get your first year for $2.50 a month. Learn more at p.c.express.ca. Back on college football live, it's time for a rewarding performance brought to you by Capital One.

This man is a one-man wrecking crew, leading the nation-en-forced fumbles with seven. He just played in the biggest game of his collegiate career and the biggest game, Love at Cassine, since Michael Crabtree hauled that big one in against Texas. In 2008, Jacob Rodriguez has. been everywhere. And his coach wants you to know, he should also be in New York. Now, Heisman is given to the best football player. It's not given to the best quarterback. They have

awards for that. And if you can't say that Jacob Rodriguez at his position is not playing at that level, at an elite level, as good as anybody in the country. And I know our Lubbock media will keep pushing it, but, man, anybody that's national in here, you should push it because that kid deserves to be a part of that. He really does. You can't get any more praise than that. And the man, that was the focus of that comment. Jacob Rodriguez, the great Texas Tech defender, joins us here on college football live. First things first, you heard from coach. I saw you strike the Heisman pose that made Desmond Howard blush. So you got the floor. Give me your spiel for why you are a high

candidate. Man, I just, I'm just so thankful for the opportunity, you know, to be in this position. But I think it's, you know, the team that I have has set me up in a great spot. And they've given me so many opportunities to be able to make plays. And luckily, I've just, you know, made enough of them to be in that conversation. And now, I believe that I'm confident in my abilities. But, you know, it is a team game. And I'm excited for this team to keep going and see what we can do.

You know, the greatest tech player of them all, Patrick Mahomes, was a celebrity. guest picker last Saturday. And he echoed what Coach McGuire said on social media, get this dude to New York. I mean, this is the biggest guy in football right now at any level. When you see this type of support about you, what do you think? Man, it means a lot. I think especially coming from a Red Rader. I think this community is so tight-knit, and it's great to hear from him. And I know he was at the game, and I loved him being there and showing his support. And so, you know, it means a lot. And I'm just so thankful for it. You are such a fascinating story because, you know, you see guys going.

from guard to tackle. You see guys beef up go from running back to fullback. But in the span of three years, you went from like gadget quarterback is what they called it to an incredible linebacker to a Heisman trophy contender. How do you go from quarterback to linebacker to Heisman trophy contender at the college level in three years? I think it starts with coaching. I think I had, you know, elite coaches who, you know, put in the time and the effort with me. And I feel like, you know, everything I've done, I've been able to, you know, try to take what they're giving me as coaches and put it into the way that I play football. And so a lot of it has to do with effort and preparation. And man, it's been a lot of hours working, but, you know, I wouldn't miss it

for the world. Let's get nasty for a second. When detractors say tech is the best team money can buy, what do you say? It's pretty good knowing that, you know, we're up there in that conversation but you know there's more to this team than just you know guys being bought to be here you know they're here for a reason and that's you know to be part of a family and be part of a culture that means something it means something more to them and their family and so um you know I'm just so happy that all those guys decided to come here and build what we're building here and love it be why you rushed for an average of 216.6 yards per game they had about 60 something yards running on Saturday that said that's a legit tough team as tough as you

What is the mentality of this defense that you lead? I think all great defense have to start with stopping the run. I think if you can stop the run, then you can earn the right to rush the passer. And, you know, it's fun when you can stop the run. And then, you know, when you got guys on the edge like David Bailey and Romelo height, and then guys up the middle like Lee Hunter, you know, they can, they can do damage. And so it's fun to get those guys rolling. And, you know, but the first thing you have to do is be able to stop the run and then you can pin your ears back and go after it.

Yeah, you were remiss of not mentioning one other guy in that group. Of course, that would be you, but that's why you're a great teammate. Last thing, speaking to teammates, today is Veterans Day. Tell me a little bit more about your better half, what she does to serve our country, and what you think of her accomplishments. Yes, sir. She is a Black Hawk helicopter pilot in the United States Army. And, you know, we've been married for, you know, going on two years now. And so, you know, I just, I really appreciate her and everything that, you know, she means to me.

And I'm glad that people get to see our story to be able to, you know, have some familiarity in their life and know that, you know, we're just kind of regular people who, you know, still go to work and get things done. But, yeah, I'm so blessed for her and just so thankful for everything she does for us and for our country. I just love her with my whole heart. Well, pass along all of our best and our thanks for serving the country. And I looked at your schedule. You got two teams left in the regular season. Neither's got a winning record. So I'm going to see you at the Big 12 championship.

game. Can't wait to see you there. Thanks. Thank you. Yeah. We got to go one and oh this week and then we'll see what happens. I thought I could fool him. He recovered pretty well. Let's take a look at the one final team brought to you by Dr. Pepper. We simply asked you've seen the first college football playoff rankings in the season. Which of the current top four is your pick to be the hashtag one final team? And almost half of you believed it would be the Buckeyes with an opportunity to go back to back.

A trio of two lost teams heading on the road for super dangerous games. why one of them might not even see their playoff hopes die with an L. We'll get into that next. Talk about stepping up. It's time to level up your game. Introducing the all new ESPN app. All of ESPN all in one place. Your home for the most live sports and the best championship moments.

The electricity is sports. Step up your game with no annual contract required. It's the ultimate fan experience. Level up for more on the ESPN app or at stream.esPN.com. Sign up now. We're back on college football live game day back in the Steel City for the first time in 20 years. Notre Dame's at Pitt. OU's at Alabama.

Texas is at Georgia. All those teams on the top of your screen there are all. two lost teams, and the conventional wisdom is you take that third loss and your playoff hopes get kissed goodbye. But maybe that's not the case. Sam, you're looking at that and saying, I think some team that maybe even if they take an L here might live to play another day and find itself in the playoff. I'm interested to see your rationale here. Well, that one team is Texas, and the rationale behind it is this. Texas right now has an opportunity to play Georgia, but also end of the season, play number of the season, play number of

three ranked A&M. So if Texas finds a way to beat Georgia, that'll boost their resume. So if they do end up getting a third loss, let's say it is, toward A&M, that gives them an opportunity to show, hey, man, look at my resume. We beat Georgia, we beat Oklahoma, the top 25 team, and beat and beat Vanderbilt, three top 25 wins. Or vice versa. Let's say Texas loses to Georgia this weekend, but then goes on to beats A&M.

That would still give them that opportunity to showcase to the committee their top team. Well, and Sam, if you look at the game. when they were played. They actually have two top 10 wins on their resume as well. And I think the team with the least amount of runway is Oklahoma. And the schedule has not played out for them well. They've got Oklahoma

Alabama this week, but then obviously Missouri has disappointed and fallen down. LSU clearly, we know where they're at now. This schedule five weeks ago looked different for them down the stretch to make a run, and now they don't have it if they're not able to beat Alabama.

I would say to Sam, Texas is very interesting because of the opportunities it has no team entry has a better opportunity to impress the selection committee than Texas than Texas but if they play with fire with three losses this year's Alabama because remember Alabama last year was the selection collection committees ranked three lost team they were in the top 12 but they were bumped bumped make room for the fifth highest ranked conference champion. And when we sit here right now, right now, have the ACC and the group of five could be the same thing. Find out tonight at 7 Eastern. Seven Eastern.