Locked On ACC - Daily College Football & Basketball Podcast - College Football Kickoff: Rivalry Week Sees Alabama, Michigan Fighting for CFP Berths vs Auburn, Ohio State

Episode Date: November 26, 2025

The Alabama Crimson Tide and Michigan Wolverines are on the CFP bubble before facing off against Auburn and Ohio State.Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!Omaha SteaksSave big on unforgettable gifts with Omaha Steaks. Visit https://OmahaSteaks.com for 50% off site-wide and an extra 20% off select favorites during their Cyber Sale.And for an additional $35 off, use promo code COLLEGE at checkout. WayfairDon’t miss out on early Black Friday deals.Head to https://Wayfair.com now to shop Wayfair’s Black Friday sale for up to 70% off.Sale ends December 7th. GametimeToday's episode is brought to you by Gametime. Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONCOLLEGE for $20 off your first purchase. Terms and conditions apply.FanDuelToday's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Football season is around the corner, visit the FanDuel App today and start planning your futures bets now.FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

If your name is BYU, Utah, Miami, a couple more. You're the biggest fan in the world of the Auburn Tigers this week against Alabama to find a coveted playoff spot. And coach Chris Peterson joins college football kickoff from Fire TV all of it right now. You're watching Fire TV's college football kickoff presented by California Almonds, the unofficial snack of football. It's shaped like a football and fuels like a champion. Join us every week as we predict who will deliver when crunch time hits snack good. Eat almonds. I'm your host, Drake Toll from Locked-on Big 12 and the Savannah Bananas organization and we're coming in hot from the heart of college football country in Dallas, Texas. On set with

me, two legends, 22-time coach at the year, Gary Patterson and former Tar Heel and Dallas Cowboy Jesse Holly. Every week throughout the season, we're right here breaking down the matchups, the moments, the madness with expert analysis from across the nation. Look for new episodes every Thursday on your fire TV at Echo Show devices. This is your all-ex. All-exam. has passed to the weekend ahead in college football. Let's kick it off. Jesse, the breaking news in the country is Eric Morris from North Texas to Oklahoma State. We got that just yesterday, a couple days ago.

Now, to me, this is yet another. This kind of goes in the Ole Miss conversation of do we lose a head coach and lose some oomph from the college football playoff committee? I think you have to. I mean, because you're talking about the coach being the head of the snake. You take him away, you take away the game planning, the preparation. the understanding everything that that head coach brings. So when you remove that head coach from the team,

now the committee starts looking around and going, I don't know if this team is going to be ready to come out here and compete. Yeah, it's the full package, just like Florida State when they lost their quarterback at the end of the season. And then they didn't put Florida State in the playoffs. You know, you have to. And haven't been a coach inside the locker room, I've never been where I was leaving.

But I would tell you that when the coach starts talking about maybe take another job, just the whole chemistry changes inside the locker room. I don't care what they try to do to make it different. It won't alter us extremely this week, but moving forward as we look at the college ball playoff committee's decision the next 10 days or so as we get to those 12, I think it's certainly a factor. In the meantime, we need to hear from coach on his locks, lurkers, and clingers for our rankings report.

Coach, before we get into those, I do want to open a conversation for a second about Utah or Miami or BYU or Michigan even, they're all rooting for Alabama or Oregon to lose this week. Yeah, I mean, this is, they were, again, I'm going to say, it's not when September, it's in November. Everybody sees you what you do. You've got to get it right and you've got to finish. And as we look at the 12 teams that would be in right now

based on how the college football playoff committee crafted their rankings. And remember that top 10 will get in and then two spots reserved for conference champions out of the ACC and the, well, I say the ACC, the top five highest ranked conference champions, which may get hairy here toward the end of the season. No surprise, though, Jesse, A&M, Indiana, Ohio State, still your top three teams in football. Yeah, those teams right there are the cream of the crop, and they've shown all year long. I mean, of course, when you don't lose a game, you keep that zero in your loss column, you definitely found yourself in a position where you're those top spots.

Yeah, they're all national championship threats without a doubt. Coach, who are your locks? Well, number one, you've got to look at the three teams you just talked about. When you have a zero in the right column, Ohio State, Indiana and A&M, they have more wiggle room right now, plus possibly playing in the conference championship. You have Georgia and Ole Miss, okay, Texas Tech, and Oregon are the ones that I moved Oregon over just for the simple reason of the big win against USC last week. But you've got to remember, one, two, three, four, five of them have rivalry games.

Now, my lurkers changed, and I did it this way. You have a BYU, which is 10 and 1. I firmly believe just listening and watching how the committee is doing it, not only, and I think they'll take care of Central Florida this week, but I think they have to win the Big 12 championship to be in that large to go in. Oklahoma, I just about put there, but they play LSU. I don't think anybody would really probably deserves if you have three losses. And, you know, Texas will be the closest because they beat, if they beat A&M at the end of it.

You have Notre Dame that's at 9 and 2. They need Miami and BYU both to lose. Okay? And then you have the ACCAA championship with Tulane, North Texas. We just talked about. And then you have this thing with Pitt and Miami. I put clingers, but I think they're, you know, you got Virginia that's 10 and 1, James Madison, 10 and 1.

Utah at 9 and 2 and then Alabama at 9 and 2. But to be honest with you, when you look at everything, at least the lock guys are in a set. And there's about four teams. opportunity and you're only going to get probably two of them they've got an opportunity to play themselves in and get ready to go. I'm going to stand up. I think we have a situation where Miami is the best team of the ACC, yay or nay? Yeah. We can buy that possibly, right? Yes. They slipped up twice and they're likely going to miss the college football playoff because they didn't get into the

ACC championship because they slipped up twice in conference play and other teams did not. And that's where I have to say. Win the games that you play. The more I hear from these camps that are complaining, and look, this even goes for a BYU. I'm sorry. I think BYU should get in at 11 and 1. But if they beat Texas Tech, they would be in the playoff.

And if we are trying to decide who deserves to be a national champion in college football, you win the games that you play. There was a coach that did that before. You play twins. The problem they set a precedent when they had the four team is when they, TCU lost the Big 12 championship game and got in. So, you know, you know, there's always, there's always this deal. So it's your fault.

I get blamed for everything else. So it's your fault. I agree. You, you, you started this thing. He's got sushi with Ms. Peter Knight. He's on the rattle right. Stadium Pulse is moving. I would say this, though, you know, exactly what we talked about.

I think for me, number one, I watched last. year. I didn't like the buys, the four buys. I think you're talking about right now, you could take away all this stuff and get everybody an opportunity and just go to 16. Nobody gets the buys. Everybody's going to play a game. And then because everybody you're talking about has an argument. There's not anybody that's in the locked lurkers or the clingers that does have an argument about why they should be in the playoffs and who they beat and what they did. You know, Miami beat Notre Dame. Let's just use that for one example, right? But they're not Even probably you've got three teams, Pitt, Virginia, and SMU that have one loss in the conference.

Miami has two. They can prove themselves okay this week because they got Pitt at Pitt. But at the end of the day, you're sitting in a situation where, and I already know, I went from three to six in the final rankings, and won 55 to three or something like that. And so haven't watched this for a while, haven't watched this for a while since 2014 with us all down. And I said then they should go to a 12 team. and finally we got to that point. But I'm telling you right now, I think if you looked at this, 16 teams.

Let's be real, coach. At 16 teams, we'll still have the conversation. I mean, let's just look at basketball. We still have the conversation at 64 teams. We're like, we should do 68. We should do 72. Next thing you know, it's going to be like, hey, let's just do one big college football tournament for everybody to get in.

Start at the beginning of the season. But I say that to say 16 won't change this thing, but it comes down to what you stood up and you just said, win the damn game that you're supposed to win and you won't have to worry about this. You won't have to be in the conference. Just win the game that you're supposed to win and you won't have to have this conversation.

But no number that we can put in there 16, 20, 22, 24 is still going to come down to, well, this team could be in and this team could be in. Just win the game that you're supposed to be in, and this conversation is. You know, the thing that you get to is really kind of funny because like when we play Wisconsin, in the Rose Bowl, if you would have told me that we were a two-point favorite,

okay, going into that ball game, they were beating people the last six or seven games in the Big Ten by 60, 70 points. Yeah. And then, and I looked at the line, I said, Vegas actually really knows something. So how does, how is this going down? And so I would say, that's why I heard somebody's conversation saying, put it in the analytics. Listen, Vegas seems to get it down pretty good every week. I would tell you that there's probably even a better way.

And I like, I like the committee, but at the end of the. day, at the end of the day, as Jesse just said, you got to play the games, you got to do it, but at the end result is it got to come down. Somebody out there has really paid a lot of attention to this from the very beginning, and they

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It's unbelievable. But I do like 16 because what if there's a campus game where Michigan goes and plays Georgia? I do think that could be the award, but that's competitive. We have a good time with 16, no doubt. Coming up, some teams that, a team that I think may be a lock in the college well play. They certainly are if they win is Alabama, but Auburn is a big rivalry. Luke Robinson have locked on Bama. Is he confident enough that the Crimson Tide can get it done in our game of the week?

Time for our game of the week here on college football kickoff. are the experts, Luke Robinson of Locked-on Bama, Zach Blackerbie of Locked-on Auburn. They know all there is to know about one of the best rivalries in our sport. Zach will start with you. You host a show about Auburn, it says here, why the hell are you on? Why what? Why the hell are you on college football kickoff this week for our game? Oh, because all-off.

It says five and six, Zach. Yeah, Auburn's going to be the team that keeps Alabama out of the playoff. And they may be the team that ignites. the fan base in Tuscaloosa to run Kailin DeBoer out of town. Okay, Luke, I know why you're on your top 10 team 9 and 2 this season. Zach Blackerby says this is the upset of the year in college football. And honestly, it feels like most the country wants to lean that way. Everybody loves the spoiler.

Alabama doesn't get to be the darling of this game. No, look, they rarely are the darling of this game, quite frankly. And yeah, this place is haunted. As Nick Sabin's head, Jordan Hare Stadium. It's built on an ancient burial. ground. It is made from the crashed unidentified flying objects of outer space.

There's so much funky stuff. There's unicorn dust. There's everything over there. And yeah, it's very nerve-wracking. It's my least favorite game every single year. I know how important it is. I respect it. I think it's the best rivalry in really all of sports. People who

have never been to one of these games just don't know. At the same time, it is the most anxious I am ever. any time this year. Zach, you are just 1,300 yards shy of having the exact same amount of passing yards as Jackson Arnold this year. So you can probably get that in a couple of games. But for some reason, Auburn feels like not the favorite, certainly aren't on paper, but it feels like the mojo,

the genesis quo of the room and the country points toward Alabama being this quasi-unicorn dust underdog. Yeah, I mean, I think some of it is because Jackson Arnold's not Auburn's quarterback anymore, I think, you know, firing Hugh Freeze and allowing Derek Nix to call the offense and Ashton Daniels to be this experienced transfer quarterback that came over from Stanford, he's ignited this offense. And Alabama's defense is better than what we saw, you know, from Vanderbilt's defense a few weeks ago. But since Hugh Freeze has been fired against, you know, against Vanderbilt and against Mercer, we've seen three different 100-yard receivers emerge from a receiving core that we all thought would be one of the best receiving cores in college football

with Cam Coleman and Eric Singleton and Malcolm Simmons. This offense has exploded since Hugh Freeze has been fired. I think it's very clear that he was holding this offense back. And now I think there are some matchups between Auburn and Alabama that Auburn can take advantage of. Luke, deposed head coach, deposed quarterback, an experience that didn't work out this year for Auburn, yet they still have this momentum because it's the rivalry game. Give me how you believe the game will play out quickly. I want to tell you, I'm very concerned for Alabama here. There's been a regression from Ty Simpson. I hope that he plays much better, but the offense seems to have taken a step back. Now, the defense has been fantastic. I think that's going to be Alabama's

advantage is the defensive side of the ball. Their defense is playing up there along with Oklahoma's. is the best in the conference if you ask me. So Alabama's going to need to get the running game going eventually, or at least the short passing game going, and let that count as the running game. I'm going to say right now Alabama wins a squeaker, just like they're always a squeaker when we play in Jordan Air Stadium. Yep, Zach, I alluded to it earlier.

I'll double down on it. You could have probably won a couple more games as the starting quarterback to begin the year than Jackson Arnold. But under this new regime for these last few games, how do the Tigers turn it into a win at home? Yeah, I mean, I think they use Camberman. Coleman, a novel concept you have, if not the best receiver. He's second to Jeremiah Smith. He's exceptional. And we've seen the offense go through him since Hugh Freeze has been fired. I think

that's huge. I think that's huge. We've also seen a running attack emerge. Jeremiah Cobb's quietly, one of the better rushers in the conference now. I think this Auburn team could run against Alabama. We saw Alabama's defensive front get bullied by FSU. We saw it against. So, Oklahoma. Auburn Z-Line, I think they're capable of doing that as well. So I think points will be scored. And I think it's going to be close and give me, give me Jordan Hare Stadium. Zach Blackerby of Locked on Auburn. Luke Robinson of Locked on Bama, both you guys be good. These next few days, have a great Thanksgiving. Feel thankful, but come Friday, Saturday, just know that it's game on.

Absolutely. It's odd, baby. They are all-time experts. Locked on Bama, locked on. Auburn. Fun conversation and I think there is that that rivalry week air of Auburn has an edge being at home and playing at night against Alabama who they hate and Bama's leading rusher, 410 yards, three touchdowns. Coach P, they don't they're not very good running the football. Well, I had a former head coach that coached in that robbery and here's what he said. He said, they didn't say congratulations when they won. They said, thank you because they knew they had to hear it all year long if you were the loser on the end of it. So I would tell you, you've got to, in this game, I think whoever does find a way to run the football, control the ball, and then play defense,

is going to be the team that wins it. Yeah, everybody is really lightened it up, throwing the ball down the field. Auburn's really come on on offense, but you know how this game is. Everybody gets a little bit tighter. There's a lot more on the line because this is not just about rankings in the SEC. This is more about where I lived, where I played at school. This is a rivalry. This is a rivalry that goes back that you're going to have to remember about for 100 years. I'm sorry. Give me Auburn's record again. Five and six.

And give me Alabama's record again. That would be nine and two. I was driving in today and I was just having these thoughts in my mind. Coming to this game, I said, this is a no-brainer, right? This is Alabama. This is the big brothers come in here and they whoop up on Auburn. But we just leave the conversation with Zach and Luke. And you would think the way that Zach is talking that Alabama's,

I mean, excuse me, the Auburn is the frame. And the way that Luke is talking is like Alabama is the underdog in this. And it's driving me. And I get, trust me, I get rivalries. I had an opportunity to play one of the greatest rivalries in college sports in North Carolina, Duke basketball. Yeah. But you, it feels like from talking to the experts to the Alabama guy. To the Alabama guy, it feels like I'm bugging.

I'm like, wait a second. Am I tripping? Is Alabama not the better team here? Alabama not the team that we're looking at. looking at is getting to the college football players. And as Auburn not a team trying to find themselves to get to a six victory to at least to get to some sort of Pop-Tart bowl or something? Am I, what am I missing here?

I would say that I don't think you have the same attitude from inside the office and the coaching staff as you're hearing from everybody else because they're all worried about, can you imagine when you sit there and they're worried about, well, if we do get B by a 5 and 6. Because if you remember earlier, somebody was given their whole salary to buy out, fly out the head coached Alabama earlier. She said she won the lottery. After Florida State. So, yeah, you know, I have to give both of them credit. Both of them have gone through quite a bit.

Yeah. You know, from the ebbs and flows of everything going on. One lost their coach. One at times they've talked about getting rid of their coach. They've had quarterback changes. They had a young quarterback. Everything has happened. And you still have one got a chance to maybe play in the playoffs

and one had a chance to really erase it. So it'll be fun to. watch. Excited to be glued to this one. And of course, again, Utah fans, BYU fans, Miami fans, will all be watching this one intently to see if they can climb over Alabama if the Crimson Tide are to lose. Texas A&M and Texas, a massive game also in the SEC with major playoff implications is one of our two can't miss matchups this week. It is one of our two can't miss matchups this week. And this one is a rivalry renewed. Brad Kellner, the Texas Longhorns and the Texas stadium Aggies, Kellner, the host of Lucked on Longhorns. He is the expert on all things

burnt orange. Brad, the media does not want you to know. Arch Manning has more passing yards than Marcel Reed this season. In the battle of the QBs, does Texas have an edge? Yeah, it's been quite the roller coaster year for Arch Manning, right? Everybody remembers all of the offseason hype and expectations and Manning struggled out of the gate. There's no doubt about it. felt like a lot of people around the country kind of closed the book on him and just assumed, ah, he's just not very good. But Manning has really figured it out over the last few weeks. So look, I think Marcel Reed has been the more consistent quarterback from start to finish.

But Arch Manning has really showed why he was regarded as one of the highest graded recruits coming out of high school. He's really put it together. And all of the experience that he's gotten throughout the 2025 season has definitely helped. He's a completely different quarterback than the one that a lot of folks. in the first month of the season. Can the Longhorns do anything? And I mean anything to make the college football playoff? I think so.

I mean, look, not only does Texas have to win on Friday, I think they need to ace the eye test as well, right? If the Longhorns beat an undefeated top three Texas A&M team by three touchdowns, I don't think that's going to happen. But it'd be really hard to leave Texas out. Obviously, best case scenario for the Longhorns, you get a convincing win and you get some help from around the country. So obviously Texas on the outside looking in, they're going to need a minor miracle to make it happen. But I don't think the chances are 0%. I do think there are multiple paths where Texas gets an at-large bid into the field of 12. Brad, I still have questions about this Texas defense that allowed 37 against Arkansas.

A couple of those in garbage time, no doubt, 35 against Georgia, 31 against Vanderbilt in a game where the Commodores nearly came back. This week against a potent offense, can Texas lock it in on that side of the ball? And if they do, what's your prediction for Saturday? Make it Friday. Yeah. Yeah, Drake, it's a very fair question, right? Texas had one of the best defenses in college football for the first seven games of the season, right? Even if you include the Ohio State and Florida losses, the Longhorns were only given up 11 and a half points per game.

And the last four, Texas has given up more than 35 points per game. Most of these struggles have been in the secondary. You think about how good A&M's top two wide receivers are, the Longhorns are going to have to turn some things around there. I do think they have the pass rush who can get after Marcel Reed a little bit. I do think Texas's run defense is good enough to contain Texas A&M, but obviously a big key is the Longhorn secondary stepping up and looking like the group we saw in the first couple of months of the season. Drake, I've been a Texas fan my entire life, probably being too biased for a national show like this, but I'll be dead the next time I pick Texas to lose to Texas A&M.

So I'm going to go to Longhorns in a shootout. I say 37 to 34 Texas pulls off the upset and gives the committee at least something to think about before selection Sunday. No such thing is too much bias when it comes to your first love and college football. Brad Kellner, the expert in all things Longhorns. Thank you very much. Happy Thanksgiving, guys. Thank you all. Let's pitch it to the desk here.

Coach, I don't have confidence that much confidence in Texas defense, but here's a deal. I don't have that much confidence in Texas A&M's defense either. I think both of those sides of the ball for these teams have question marks. Well, number one, Texas has to stay out of third and long. The Blitz, if you watch the blitz schemes that are coming that A&M's been using, over the last half of the season. They've been getting at it after every quarterback. But, yeah, that's a rivalry game.

It's gone back for a long time. It doesn't really matter where they play it at. It doesn't matter what the records are. It's going to matter who does it on this Friday. And so here we go. I'm excited about to see what happens with it because this will be the second game coming back from last year, where Texas won down in College Station,

and now you have the game here in Austin. Yeah, I think this A&M team's much improved from last season. No doubt. Mike Elko has put together a program. They're undefeated, 11 and 0 in the SEC. But, Jesse, they haven't faced the top half of the conference. Yeah. And again, we're going to continue to have this, you know, NCAA conversation about the SEC and how and who plays what and who plays where. But you can only play who they schedule you to play, right? And so now that you're in this conference, unless you're Notre Dame. And so this year, They play who they put on the schedule, and right now, they've beaten everybody that they've played on the schedule.

And so coming up to this game against Texas, they're going to look at this and say, hey, these are the next guys on the schedule. And I love the rivalry, the rivalry talk about it. You know, you heard Brett. Now, who in the graphics department put the burnt orange underneath the Texas A&M logo? What are we doing here? Coach, was that you? Maybe no. Get a little something, something in his back pocket out there.

Jesse, I think you're spot on coach. You talk about the rivalry game side of this. I mean, for me, Texas A&M can prove something with this win. No, they sure can. Which is weird. I mean, right there, number three team in the country versus number 17, they can prove something with this win. That's not our only can't miss match up, though.

Ohio State, Michigan, it is the game, and it could decide a Michigan Wolverine playoff spot. Let's hit it. Two can't miss matchups this week because Ohio State is playing on the road against Michigan. Jay Stevens of Locked on Buckeyes, knows all there is to know about Ryan Day's team. Jay, we just talked about Alabama Auburn.

And Luke Robinson of Locked on Bama did not sound confident at all that Alabama would get a win this week because of how the rivalry games twist these matchups. You think Ohio State has in the back of mind that losing streak going on the road having to beat their rival Michigan? I think they do, but I don't think it's a thing in the back of the mind that is causing them to get flustered or to not prepare in the right way to win this week. Ryan Day hasn't shied away from the fact that there's nobody on this team that has beat Michigan.

And also there's nobody on this team that has made it to the Big Ten championship game, which is weird to think about. We think about the success that Ohio State normally has late in the season, beating Michigan before the 2019 year. It was kind of expected Ohio State was going to beat them. They won in 2019 and they haven't beat Michigan since. So I do think it's in their minds, but I believe they're using this as fuel and motivation to prepare to beat Michigan this weekend.

Michigan is red hot. But Ohio State 11 and 0. They're beating the mess out of most of these teams as well. But they haven't been tested here in a few weeks. Is there something to that? I mean, they're just playing teams that are bad. You can't really map out the state any different way. The Big Ten has 18 teams, and you're finding out right now that you have teams that are really, really good

that aren't playing other multiple three or four top tier teams in the conference. In Ohio State, they just happen to have a stretch this year where you're playing Purdue, UCLA and Rutgers. who aren't good teams. Penn State was a team that you thought was going to be one of the better teams in the country. All of a sudden, they're struggling to win big 10 games, and they fire James Franklin. And so it's not Ohio State's fault that their schedule was mapped out the way that it was and that Penn State wasn't good this year. It just happened to be that how things went for Ohio State.

They haven't been tested at all. But those have allowed certain guys on offense and defense to get valuable reps to get some key game snaps to help them be very valuable late in the season. Briefly, give me a final prediction for this game. Does Julian Sayon have his Heisman moment? I think it's a game right now with the still somewhat uncertainty that both Jeremiah Smith and Carnotate will play. I think it's more of a lower scoring game for Ohio State standards.

And also, Ohio State's defense will allow more points via Michigan scoring them than any other team, almost any other team that has played Ohio State this year. I got the Buckeyes winning 27 to 13. And I say lower scoring because if you don't have your two best weapons on the outside, I am not sure how the offense is going to flow. But Ryan Day's message this week, it's the same message he had going into the Texas game, just win.

It doesn't have to be sexy. You don't have to make many flashy plays. Just find ways to win. And I don't know if Julian San is going to have a heightened moment this weekend because that's not what is asked of him. What's asked of him is to lead Ohio State to victory, and I believe he has everything in his power to do so. At the same time, still pushing down the door of 30 touchdowns.

passes and one of the most efficient quarterbacks in the country, he could very well be in New York. In the meantime, if any podcast host could get the podcast version of the highestman, it's Jay Stevens. Locked-on Buckkeyes. He's the expert. Jay, thanks as always. Thanks, guys. I enjoyed it. All right. That's the storyline. The injuries, Jesse, for Ohio State and what they bring it into this game. But at the same time, their defense, if I may, their last five games have allowed zero, 14, 10, 10, 9. I don't care if the offense goes out there. They've still got shot to win the game. No, they absolutely do. We're talking about all the NFL talent that they have on there with Sunny Stiles and Avery Reese and Downs is the safety. But the defense is going to have to

show up this weekend because going up against Michigan, they're going to try to run the football. When you look at Michigan this year, nine and two, right, the two games that they lost were the only two games that they did not rush the ball for 175 yards or more. So you think that's a recipe for success for Michigan. They're going to try to kind of give the freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood an opportunity to kind of ease itself into the game, establish the running game. So Ohio State, while they may not have all their offensive weapons, they need to show up defensively because Michigan is going to try to run the football. Well, yeah, what you said, two young quarterbacks, the way you make it easy on them is you run

the football, so there's not so much pressure on third down and doing all the things that an older quarterback would do where he can make those plays. Now, they have made those plays because of the people that they have on the outside. but I think whoever runs the ball the best and plays the best defense and doesn't give up the big play, probably going to be the team that wins. And that's kind of been the formula through the last, you know, probably really, you've looked at all the games over the last 15 years. It hasn't been one of these where somebody blows them out all the time.

It's a good app for each other. Today show is brought to you by our friends over at game. Time College football is back. And obviously we couldn't be more excited. Telgates, rivalries, the energy in the stands, nothing like it. But let's get real. Actually getting tickets can feel like more of a battle than the game itself. This cues, hidden fees, prices jumping at checkout.

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rabid that you can find in college football. Chris Peterson, one of the great coaches of the last couple of decades, some legendary wins as the head coach at Boise State goes to the college football playoff coaching Washington and he's here. Not in studio, but he's here with us virtually. Right next, right next, right up next, if you guys will. It's the almonds. Every time this guy can't stop eating them. Right up next on our coaches' corner. Coach Peterson, we are so glad to have you on college football kickoff. Let me tell you, people don't understand you're in my history. I said, well, I'm so old.

I actually was on a team that I was the coach and you were the quarterback, but everybody doesn't understand what a great, what a great history you had at Boise State and then at Washington, your record, you're on the college Hall of Fame ballot. Definitely should be a shoe in. you won ball games. You were smart enough to get out and coach all the rest of us up and just talk about us.

But we really appreciate you coming on. I tell you what, you and your family are just your godsend. You're the best. You've coached a lot of people up on how to do things. I've learned a lot from you. But we wanted you to come on today and talk to a little bit about

we're getting close to the playoffs. Tell us a little bit about your overall view of everything going on. because you and I were talking earlier about calendars and all those kind of things. So, and then I'll kind of ask you some questions. Yeah. Well, this is the fun time of year, right? We all wait until we get to November to start having a bunch of fun.

And every week, in my opinion, November never disappoints. And that's really the beauty of college football is the Saturdays. You know, it's just I love pro football. I really do. But it's nothing like college football. to me. And I love it so much. I love it as long as I don't have to coach one of my own teams, then that becomes very painful for me. And it's just, I think, the pageantry, the passion, the emotion, the fan bases, you know, being out of it, Gary, and you can probably relate

to this, is like, I just, it's so awesome to watch from afar, but I shake my head at these fan bases, like, how fast they'll turn on their own people. and how much that works against the people that they want to win the most. And so the whole thing is just fascinating, like we were talking about, it's a fascinating study in psychology. But to me, there's nothing better out there than college football. Well, we're looking at your record, 147 and 38, seven conference championships, Fiesta Bowl, big win, you know, that really brought Boise to light when you beat Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl.

You know, you and I both were part of the Power 5, you know, the Boisys, the TCUs at the time in the Mountain West, all of those leagues. What is your feeling on automatic bid, those kind of things? You know, for me, it's spreading the wealth and letting everybody have an opportunity be a part of this playoff thing. And the more I think about it, Chris, I'm not sure that, because I don't like the buys. I think the people that played in the buys last year didn't do very well when they played their next game. Do you have a feel on, for me, I just go to 16 right now and not worry about it and let it. Because I really feel like the Boise's in all those type of teams and those conferences, you know, the James Madison now, Tulane, deserve a chance.

Well, you know, you're preaching to the choir from where we come from, you know. And what access did for both of our programs, you know, I get it. Like, when you look at some of these leagues, look at the SEC and, you know, the rough neighborhood that those guys play in and the parody for at least about three quarters of that conference. I mean, everybody's good unless they fired their coach, which makes them even worse. So, and you look at the big 10, you know, there's some pretty good teams there. And then you go through it. And you look at the group of five and people are like, yeah, but I just think like what it does for the game, like of college football, last week, there was like

seven teams still basically kind of alive to have a shot to get into college football playoffs. That is healthy and that is good for the game. And so, you know, does their resume, does their strength of schedule, all those things stack up to maybe some of these other teams, a team or two that might get left out? To be perfectly honest, probably not. But to me, I see that as being part of the greater good, part of the really cool thing about college football because we both know that sometimes the little guy can do some big things and knock people off that they're not supposed to.

Well, I agree with you. The second question I had had really cut down to, you know, really it's 10 spots and then you have a cup of automatic. The ACC doesn't have anybody in the top 10 right now. Miami, you've got three teams that have one loss going into this final week as far as who's going to play in the ACC championship game. but do you have any thoughts as far as the Notre Dame, BYU, Alabama,

OU thought process of who should be that 9 and 10? You know, I will say this about Notre Dame. I really like Marcus Freeman, and I like what he's built there. I am a Notre Dame fan, because I just root for people. But I think Notre Dame has the best gig going in college football. the fact that they're not in a conference, and, you know, we all know, it's like when you only have to throw your fastball half the time or, you know, a third of the time, because our talent's just so much better, that is a tremendous advantage.

So I do like Notre Dame. I think that they're playing really well. They're getting better in November. I think they're going to be a force to be reckoned with. but I also think they have an easier path and don't take as many shots along the way because they do their own thing and schedule their own way. That's my thing on Notre Dame.

We talked earlier. I agree with you on the Big 12. I think that, you know, BYU is going to have to win this weekend, get into the play, the Big 12 championship, and probably beat Texas Tech to go. And then I think it's really interesting that you're taking them both. and then who gets bounced out from there.

I think the SEC, you know, there's five teams that are looking at. All real interesting. I mean, I think Vandy has had an unbelievable season. If they win at Tennessee and they're 10 and 2, that's a hard team to leave out. But, you know, again, I'm not really that fired up about seeing half the SEC play in this tournament. So that's the price of doing business in the SEC.

see, you know, the Michigan, Ohio State thing, what happens if Michigan happens to beat Ohio State again? Do they deserve to be in at 10 and 2? I mean, beating the number one team in the country. I mean, I just love this kind of stuff. I don't think Michigan is going to do it, but we didn't think they were going to do it the last couple of years either, and they still did it. So this is the beauty, in my opinion, about college football. A lot of people don't like this committee because they want it settled on the field. but when you have 132 teams,

it's not like the NFL with 32 teams. It's hard to really settle it on the field. When we talk about Texas A&M, you know, those guys have had a fabulous season. But they missed Alabama, Georgia, Ole Miss, and Oklahoma this year. So you can say, wait, that's not really a fair schedule in the SEC.

So we can kind of like, we can play this game all day long, right? See, I want to have a talk, and I got to let you go, but you and I have to have a talk once a week because I love your thought process and all of this, Coach Peterson. But thanks so much for bringing your knowledge. Graciousness here on Thanksgiving week when it's family time to spend 10, 15 minutes with us.

And we just want to tell you happy Thanksgiving, and we love what you did for college football. So see you, my friend. Likewise, Gary. And happy Thanksgiving to all you guys. What a time to watch great games this weekend. We'll see you. Thank you. Okay.

Well, I think the Notre Dame conversation is where we have to start based on that. I mean, this is a college football playoff. Legend, he's a guy who, you mentioned coach. He kind of, he knew when to get out. 147 and 38 as college football started ebb and flow and change. He got to retire on top and now sits every weekend as a voice of college football. And I think he was very clear. Notre Dame gets to curate their own schedule.

and that's a schedule that the last 10 games didn't feature anyone really of strong note, Jesse. And that's the thing is where you start talking about the landscape of college football because we're still trying to fix so much of the old that has been done to college football, whether that be the NIL or transfer portals. And Notre Dame falls into one of those conversations about the old NCAA allowed Notre Dame that because they had the TV network and then they've cultivated this, this prestige that goes along with Notre Dame that has allowed them to stay kind of solo and to do their own thing. And this is why when you look at where college football is going, that there needs to be a complete overhaul of this thing

because you don't need to have these sort of disadvantages across the board for teams like Notre Dame. So, Coach, and we've talked about BYU a lot or Utah or these teams outside looking, even in Miami who beat Notre Dame head to head. Notre Dame schedule these last 10 weeks, Purdue or Arkansas. NC State, Navy, Pitt, Syracuse, Stanford. You're looking at teams that, by and large, at least, are on the back end of their conferences or for their pit. Their head coach says, I'm going to lose by 100 this week. If you're BYU's head coach, do you want to be left out versus 10 and 2 Notre Dame?

Well, here's the thing. BYU got left out, I think, for SMU again a year ago. Yeah. And so now they sit with one loss. They sit with one loss again, have an opportunity. Sataki, I feel the same thing about Sataki as I do. And I have the same feelings about Coach Freeman at Notre Dame. I think he's a really good football coach.

And he does things for the right reason here. But even Vandy. But, you know, again, you've got OU, Notre Dame, Alabama, BYU, and then in Miami, you know, with the win over Notre Dame. So it's something we're going to have to probably debate here in the next 25 minutes. See, when you were off in Africa on your safaris, we couldn't have these conversations with Alan Pink at the Notre Dame legend. And now we can finally open up the room a little bit here.

Thanks, coach, for coming back. In the meantime, lock of the day this week, Kevin and Lee have been spot on the last couple of shows. Who is the best bet in college football? Thanks, Drake. Looking forward to another big weekend of college football. That's time now for our lock of the week. Open it, open it, open it.

Lee has the key to the lock of the day. The game inside the ACC on Saturday between Miami and Pittsburgh. Cain is looking for their 10th win of the season. season, Panthers off a big winner for Georgia Tech. Miami's a seven-point road favorite. Lee, what do you like here? Well, Mario Cristobal, he wins his game and wins it convincingly. I think it's going to be tough to deny the Miami Hurricanes getting into the college football

playoff. All they got to do is win and probably win by about a touchdown or more. Pittsburgh, coming off a huge win last week at Georgia Tech, they led wire to wire, love their freshman quarterback here, Mason Henshal, since he took over when they had a two and two record. At home, seven touchdowns, just one interception here. Miami's past defense is ranked number six, but a couple weeks ago lost the number one cornerback in the country, Keante Scott here, so they might have trouble here. Also, Miami did not face many good passing quarterback.

It's the last one, SMU's quarterback, Kevin Jennings, and he, let him to an upset win here. And the final reason I like Pittsburgh at home, the weather. Miami eight years ago went up to Pitt, lost that game. Yeah, lost when they were undefeated, high of 36, low at 32 here. Miami, these kids just can't tackle in cold weather, going to have trouble probably catching the ball. Also, my lock of the week, hate to say it being a Miami grad,

My dad was a team Dennis. My daughter was a cheerleader there. Pittsburgh wins this game a lock of the week over the Miami Hurricanes. Dad, for more daily pick, subscribe to Locked-on Betts. Back to the college football kickoff studio. We'll talk to you next week, Drake. Some great stuff as always there, Lee. You're one crazy guy.

We'll see if it pans out for Pitt this week, no doubt. Hit the meantime here on the desk. It's time for our crunch time selections. You're watching college football kickoff. Presented by the California Alman's, The unofficial snack of football, shaped like a football, feels like a champion. Join us every week as we predict who will deliver when crunch time hits. Snack good, eat almonds.

I'll toss this to you guys while I crunch on these. We've got Miami at Pitt. I want to start right there. This is an opportunity for Pitt to go to the ACC championship game. They're still in play for that thing, and they can go to the college football playoff, Jesse. A lot at stake in this one. No, it absolutely is. And for both teams, right?

Both teams are trying to find themselves. in the situation where they can go and maybe place a little bit extra football at the end of the year. But if I'm Pitt, one place where they have to stop, the electric freshman for Miami and Malachi Tony. He has come on and he has come on strong. And they're trying to find ways to get him the football. So if they plan on stopping this thing, I know it's going to be a little bit cold up there in Pittsburgh, then they better be able to extinguish Malatai Tony. Yeah, you got snow, you're going cold. And here, you know, I'm always kind of the football God's guy. You know, he came out and said he had to win. He had to win in the ACC. He did it last

week. Coach Narduzzi did, and they got, they have Miami coming to their place, and it's a different battle when you, your backs are against the wall. Ma'am, here's a problem. I'm looking at the opportunity to see, you know, a pit Virginia in the ACC championship, but it's at the same time, Eastern time, as the paint drying competition. So I've got to decide which those two are going to turn up, a split box with the TV. I do now in sports. I like it. I like it.

Crunch time. I'm going to go with Pitt in crunch time this week, possible ACC Championship performance on the line. Vanderbilt at Tennessee. Coach, I know you love Jerry Kill. This Vanderbilt team, great story. They might be just outside looking at him and all set it up for the college football playoff. Yeah, their one chance of being able to do it is their formula has been, control the football, keep the ball out of Tennessee's hands, you know, be able to slow Tennessee down, do some of those kind of things.

It didn't turn out great for them last year, but they've had that formula. But if they want to go to go. go into Knoxville and win, then they're going to have to be able to control the ball on offense, be able to score, and defense is going to have to get some turnovers. Yeah, Jesse, I mean, no matter what, successful season for Vanderbilt, but it's just tough when you get right there and don't quite eclipse into glory. You got a crunch time player or team in this one. Yeah, for me, my crunch time player is wide receiver at Tennessee, Brazil.

Like, I think they want to open this thing up and have Aguilar pass the ball all around the park in Tennessee. So he's going to be my crunch time player at the game. Let's go Oregon at Washington. The disrespect. He's written in a rundown as Seth McLaughlin of locked that poor guys, gotten ragged on this show more than anybody in 2025. Spencer McLaughlin of locked on ducks,

what say you? It's Oregon's versatility that gives me confidence. They can go on the road and win a tough game at Washington this week. After playing USC to 4227 a week ago, Oregon is shown they could win in the rain, they could win in the sun, they can win a shootout, low-scoring game, win with a rushing attack,

win with the passing attack. Oregon's offense has been really good for the most part this season, had a bad game against Indiana, but has really played good football since their only loss of the year. Have to carry that on the road where they say defense travels and Oregon's defense has been really good. Allowed their most passing yards of the season last week against USC, but held the Trojans under 30 points. If they can do that against Washington, they should be able to have success and win the football game. That is the recently incarcerated Spencer McLaughlin. Mail can be sent to 133 FM 215, Gatesville Prison in Texas. That's Block A cell 11.

Coach, Oregon or Washington? Well, you know, I love shakeups, but, you know, Oregon seems like that team is coming on in November right now, too, and it is about defense, so I'm going to stick with Coach Lannning and the Ducks. Yep, anybody crunch time here for you, Jesse, you like out of Washington maybe? Yeah, sorry, Coach Peterson. This is all about Oregon. This is all about Oregon.

you know, if they're going to find themselves in the college football playoffs, you've got to take care of business in Washington. Again, I know that there are fans of Miami and BYU and Utah, those teams that might be outside looking in in a couple of weeks that really want Washington to win here. I just, I don't know if I see it coming along. Georgia at Georgia Tech is our final crunch time game of the week. Jesse, we'll go right back to you for this one.

I've said this to you guys a couple of weeks ago. I had the honor to be in Starkville, Mississippi, to watch Georgia and Mississippi play. Georgia to me is the scariest football team in the country. That's over Ohio State. That's over Indiana. That's over O'Miss.

That's over Texas A&M. They allowed Kirby Smart to figure this thing out. Those young players got a chance to mature throughout the season. Gunnestock to start playing well. I am telling you, Georgia is the most dangerous football team on the planet. And they will plow over Georgia Tech.

Can I go off script here a bit? Crunch time postseason prediction. Do you think Georgia's your national? I think Georgia will play the national championship game. I don't know if they'll win. Georgia will play in the national championship game. Coach P, do you like an upset Georgia Tech is playing at home? I just don't know.

You know, they just, here are the last three or four games. I think going into the last week's game, they had given up over 1,000 yards of offense. I just think like Jesse just talked about when he talked on the show last week, I think the truck has started up, is going in directions, and he's kicked it into high gear, and I think George is going to be hard to beat. Style points. My crunch time player of the game is style points in this one. I think Georgia will knock off Georgia Tech handedly SEC over ACC. We will know this time next week, who will be in the conference championship games

in every single conference at a much clearer path to college football playoff? And that's a wrap on this week's college football kickoff, but it's only getting more intense. Next week, get ready for those championship games. We'll talk about all of them at the same time, the same set, the same unapologetic football energy. Big thanks to coach Gary Patterson. Jesse Holly for bringing the heat and to you for riding shotgun with us. Enjoy all the action this entire week. It is Feast Week. Stay locked in.

Stay fired up and we'll see you next Thursday right here on Fire TV.