The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Colin Cowherd Podcast - College Football Reaction: Ohio State Makes A Statement, Oklahoma Dominates Alabama, USC Should “Stay Patient”

Episode Date: November 25, 2024

Colin’s college football reaction is presented by JLab! He’s joined by John Middlekauff, host of “3 and Out” to break down the biggest storylines from college football They recap Ohio State’s dominant win over Indiana (3:15) and Oklahoma shutting down Alabama (8:00). They debate who’s in and who’s out after some big upsets on Saturday (9:00) and Colin preaches patience for USC and why with smart allocation of NIL money… the Trojans could be competitive next year (10:00). Follow Colin and The Volume on Twitter for the latest content and updates!  #Volume #Herd  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human. Hey guys, it's us. The Jonas Brothers. I'm Joe. I'm Kevin. And I'm Nick. And guess what? We created our own podcast called, Hey Jonas.

We invented a podcast? Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to it. We're the first people to do podcasts. We get to ask other people questions because we're sick and tired of being asked questions. Well, sick and tired is a strong way to put it. But, you know, tired and sick. Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you.

you get your podcast. Just listen. We don't care where you hear it. Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the ice. Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Will Ferrell's Big Money Players and IHeart Podcasts presents soccer moms. So I'm Leanne. Yeah. This is my best friend, Janet. Hey. And we have been joined at the hips since high school. Absolutely. A redacted amount of years later, we're still joined at the hip.

Just a little bit bigger hips. This is a podcast. We're recording it as we tailgate our youth soccer games in the back of my Honda Odyssey. With all the snacks and drinks. Why did you get hard seltzer instead of beer? Oh, they had a bogo. Well, then you got them. Listen to soccer moms on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano. It's our favorite time of the year on our podcast point game, the playoffs. We're digging into the biggest surprises of the season. And I'm looking back on some of my greatest playoff moments. If we didn't talk ever again, I was funny. You just understood. That's how personal it got.

Wow. Then after that game seven, Marquis' keep coming to him. He's like, you know I love you, dog. You know, it's all love. This was just playoffs. This was just basketball. basketball. So listen to Point Game on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, I'm Deanna Maria Riva, and on my new podcast, How Hard Can It Be? I call on my GenX squad from

Ohio to Hollywood as we navigate Midlife's most fantastic BS. Unfiltered conversations from night sweats to futas to scheduling sex. Wait, what sex? Is it just me? Or does every woman my age want to look at Pinterest instead of having sex sometimes? They say we can't polish a turd, but we're sure going to try. So let's get blunt with laughs, tears, or tears of laughter. Listen to How Hard Can It Be with Diana Maria Riva on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. The Volume.

All of these college football reactions presented by J-Lab, I'm wearing my J-Lab earbuds right now. They're awesome. They have the best audio products in the game. They're ready to take care of you this football season. Okay, whether you're traveling to watch your favorite team play or just streaming the game at home, Find the blue box. That's how I first found it at an airport, Logan Airport in Boston.

Find the blue box at Walmart, Target, Best Buy, and More. Or just visit jaylab.com. Their price points, really good. Okay, I want to spend 10 minutes on college football. So my prediction before the year was Ohio State would lose at Oxton Stadium, would play Oregon again and beat them and would play in the national championship against the Texas Longhorns. So right now, Texas and Ohio State, in my opinion, looked like the two best teams along with Oregon. Notre Dame, Penn State, also very, very good. So again, it's big brands. You could put 74 teams in this tournament. It just doesn't matter. College football, even more than college basketball,

because you have to have depth in football because there's a regulated level of violence. I thought Ohio State, I think Ohio State, Texas, and Oregon feel like the best teams. I thought it was interesting against Indiana. I thought the game would be close. I like the Buckeyes close. I thought it was a real moment where everybody was selling me BYU. No. Everybody is selling me Indiana.

They just, they look nervous. I mean, the special teams gaffs. They just didn't look. They didn't have the power. They didn't have the arsenal. They looked nervous. And it was funny, Josh Howard got some crap as they were rolling to a win. Signetti's the coach.

Yeah, Will Howard, Will Howard, who's a good quarterback. He's a good quarterback. Big kid. You know, makes plays. I like him. Makes a plays. You're like, I'm kind of into this. Yeah, I kind of like him.

Somebody probably drafts him. Yeah. He's hard to evaluate because their old lines historically, not this old line, but, you know, they've got NFL high round receivers and running backs. He's a hard guy. And Ohio State O's has so much better personnel than everybody in the conference. You know, but Michigan and Penn State on an annual basis. Now Oregon has their kind of level of talent. Yeah, yeah. But it was funny watching Indiana get up there and some people were bothered by this gesture Will Howard did at the end. And it's, it's, it's, it's. It's really funny. I'm like, guys, Indiana came into that game, and for a team that has never won a huge college football game in my life, I thought came in with a lot of attitude and a lot of bravado. And I had no problem with Will Howard's gesture at all. And it's like, if you're going to come into the ring against the perennial world champ, okay, and you're talking shit, then if they do a little gesture, I don't want to. hear about it. And, and, you know, Colin, you didn't like Baker Mayfield. Baker Mayfield did about nine different gestures at Oklahoma. This was Will Howard two seconds. But I, but I kind of found

myself, I thought Indiana was obnoxious, a little cocky coming into the game. Yeah, well, starts with the coach. I mean, he's got a big opinion of himself. And the second half looked like the little kids versus the big kids. And if all these other teams hadn't lost as the day went on, I would have had no problem leaving Indiana at home. Listen, I, Like you, I didn't go to one of these schools. Like I'm a Big Ten guy or an SEC guy. I'm just an unbiased lover of college football. Anyone making the argument, like, just watch the games with your eyes.

We have the evidence of the NFL draft picks where all the talent is. I'm watching the SEC games on the road. You know, Oklahoma, I'm sure they got five or six guys on defense. They're going to be drafted. And one, these environments on the road are so hard in the SEC. If you put Indiana in the SEC, I think they struggle to sniff eight wins. I think they get rolled.

And obviously they benefited this year from playing nobody. They just, they're a great story and I appreciate it. But up until all these other teams with two losses lost last night, I would not have cried for them if they didn't get the invite to the dance. Now, just because of record, they probably will. But I would bet on them to be won and done.

Yes. And listen, like, I, listen, I know you talk to clad a lot. I can't fathom. watching all these games and thinking the Big Ten talents. And I, well, they're six and six and six. We'll just watch the two-team play. Yes.

Watch the speed of guys on defense at Auburn, who's, I don't even know what their record is. They're going to end up going five and seven. The talent discrepancy between them and Wisconsin on defense is fucking wider than the Grand Canyon. And yet we argue this every year. It's like, guys, take a deep breath. Let's just watch the games and go like, no one says that about the Big 12. We all acknowledge, yeah, the Big 12 is a fun conference, but it's not that talented. But we always argue like the Big Ten and the SEC. Well, if you removed Oregon,

the Big Ten would be terrible this year. Right. And let's face it, that's not a Big Ten team. You guys just got them this year. So it's like, Ohio State's carrying you. The rest of your conference, talent-wise, looks down. I watch the SEC and I get it. They got a lot of three and four lost teams. The talent on their teams is knightened. It's just harder to play, more talented teams on top of that because of the television networks. Now, they're playing all these night games, these road night games against a bunch of NFL defenders is way more difficult than the Big Ten. Is that even arguable this year? No, I mean, I watched Oklahoma.

I thought they played a perfect football game against Alabama. They just were well coached. They were buttoned up. Their quarterback had movement. They gave Alabama some fits. I mean, I watched that game and I was like, Jesus, Oklahoma. They're good on defense. They have NFL guys on defense.

Well, Venables, Coach Clemson, a bunch of pros, like he knows what it looks like. Offense is going to be a problem for him. but no one's going to argue that Venables and his defense is going to be good. No. And they handled Oklahoma. I thought the same thing about Auburn. I'm like, I don't know most of these players on Auburn. Shit, they sure look good to me.

And you're a former NFL scout. Yeah, I'm just like, but doesn't that jump out sometimes when you watch these SEC games, even when their records like six and six? Well. You're like, listen, I know they're struggling to win games, but they got talent on the roster. If it doesn't really matter how many. I mean, I think Ohio State, Texas, Oregon, Notre Dame and like a Georgia, Ole Miss. I don't really buy Penn State. You know, they've beaten a lot of...

See, they're in because they didn't play anybody and they only had the one tough game. And they're lucky because Washington... Ole Miss is out, probably, right? But if you told me Ole Miss played Penn State on a neutral field, I'm taking Ole Miss. So am I. And I think Jackson Dart actually is going to be like a second round pick. So, I mean, they have the better quarterback. You know, it was funny.

Florida's a good example, aren't they? I'm watching them. And I'm like, you put them in the, if they made the 12-team tournament right now, and they were playing Penn State in the first round, where's most of the money coming in on that game? Florida. On Lagway, if he's healthy, on Florida. Right. And if you told me Florida played Notre Dame.

Like, I'm not saying that Florida would win that game, but you can't tell me that, like, you would be surprised at Florida won. So I want to throw this at you. You know my connection to USC. I'm a homer. So I was saying this. It's not the South. Is L.A. is distracted.

You're going to be more patient. Jen Cohen's not running Lincoln Riley out. The boosters aren't going to step up and pay him the 70 million he's old or whatever it is. They're building a $300 million facility. The NIL collective at USC is $13 million. They're not writing another check for Lincoln Riley. But I was texting somebody inside USC Athletic Department. I said, if you beat Penn State in overtime this year and you had the opportunity,

overtime at Coliseum. I said you would have beaten LSU, Penn State, your rival. With nine returners on offense, if you just go get a quarterback like Oregon did in the portal, you bring back the entire offensive line outside of center, all of your receivers, all of your tight ends, and you have, you had a very good recruiting class last year, defensive line, the best they've had since Pete Carroll, but they all redshirted. And I'm like, you're a quarterback and maybe a defensive tackle and a corner away from being really interesting. And somebody said, hey, thanks for the optimism. And I'm like, now, that's what you really are.

Like, with Brian Kelly, I don't know what I get week to week. USC's games, John, they all look the exact same. They lead in the fourth quarter. I mean, take the Michigan game out where it felt like they were playing from behind. They were playing chase. every game looks the same. They just don't, they're not good enough at quarterback, and they're too young on the offensive line to seal it.

But I was talking to a friend about this, and he's in the South, and I said, it's just different out here. It's not the beginning and end. They're not, no boosters writing a $50 million check for Lincoln Riley. They just paid $300 million for facilities. And I said, when I look at coaching, I said, do I get the same kind of team every week? Brian Kelly's a bit of a mess, and he's not really likable. People like, you know, the players like Lincoln, but not a lot of guys transferring.

The coaches like him. He built a nice staff. So my take on USC is the advantage to being non-SEC is you get another year to two. Shit, they kept Clay Halton around forever. And he was over his skis. Your thought on USC. Yeah, I would fall under the USC guy that you texted that you're a lot more optimistic than me. Yeah.

I mean, they're probably going to get killed this. week, right? And be six and six. So last year was a devastating year for Lincoln, right? It was not thought of highly. And they had a better record than this year, right? In a conference, too, that was really down. So you look back to Michigan and Minnesota, Minnesota is actually pretty good on defense. Well, Washington's in a rebuild, Michigan's in a rebuild, and UCLA's in a rebuild. Here's the thing. Like, let's use Texas analogy with Sark. Sark started just buying sweet players. And maybe it's more just the Texas boosters and every, it's a little more aggressive there with football. Like they knew they were going to the SEC.

They have cared for a while. They've been dying for like make money legal, right? They were lined up. I wonder if USC so far removed from Pete has the same aggression. Like if there are six or seven guys that can immediately change your organization or your program. You know, Caleb Downs, I saw you tweeting about him yesterday, who was a. immediately transfer portal and really probably three teams put all their chips in the middle table is probably Georgia, Texas, Ohio State, right?

Can USC start swimming in that end of the pool? Because I do understand if I'm a USC guy or a booster or someone around the program like a liner. I go, well, I know for a fact, given the rules that are at play now, when we were here with Pete, we would have Caleb Downs, maybe we don't get him, but he's definitely taking a visit and having long conversations with all of us. And it doesn't even feel like USC's dealing in that. And like the slow build, like there aren't slow builds anymore. You can quit flipping.

And that's why everyone's down on Brian Kelly. It's like, you guys are in year three. What's going on here? Right. And that's where I wonder if Lincoln, is he going to recruit hard enough? Is he going to be able to do that in terms of like, listen, I'm not Ohio State guy. But I do respect whoever the Caleb Downs is this offseason, you bet your ass that it's Sark and Ryan Day on the phone with that kid.

Well. Because they got the money. Well, does Lincoln out of them and Dan Lanning? Well, the knock on Lincoln, and I think it's fair. He doesn't recruit Southern California well. He has not engendered himself to Southern California coaches. He can be prickly and precious and sort of, you know, he's a small town guy. Sometimes he feels aloof.

And that does not work in high school recruiting. Do they care enough? Look at Michigan's a good example, right? They had Harbaugh and they got that taste the last three years and it was incredible. And then this year's going, couldn't be going much worse relative to what they've been. All of a sudden it's like, LSU's getting this quarterback? No, we'll rally the money, get Larry Ellison on the phone, and all of a sudden we have some package of $10 to $12 million.

I don't exactly. There are a lot of discrepancies how the deal is structured, but we will pay you more than anyone else. Why? Because we care that deeply. We care that deeply. And it feels like, you know, when USC was in their heyday, they really, really cared. Oregon has maintained that, right?

From Bellotti to Chip to Healthrich to now through. It doesn't feel like USC cares enough. And I think that's fair. I think Jen Cohen, the athletic director, does. Their collective's $13 million. So they, I mean, the people have stepped up, but the economy in Los Angeles is bigger than almost, you know, it's bigger than Canada's. So it's like, you know, or certainly thereabout. So it's fair question.

Shouldn't they be able to outbid some of these, you know, if LSU and Alabama want a kid in the transfer portal and they're willing to pay X? shouldn't they pay X plus another 20% playing the guy? Yes. I mean, if you look at sports from baseball, I mean, there are salary caps, but I think players know who's committed. I mean, you can see it in the NFL, like free agency. Like people know Philadelphia is committed.

People, San Francisco is committed. Chicago's not. And players can sniff it. Players can see it and smell it and feel it. And I think your questions are what I hear from my friends. and I'm probably more patient and too optimistic. I think that's reasonable. I will say this, and I heard it again today from somebody I trust.

The fastest rising quarterback is going to be Jalen Milroll. He can be a bit robotic. It doesn't look pretty. But if Minnesota keeps Sam Darnold, as you're suggesting, and many will, there's going to be seven teams that need a quarterback. Somebody's taking that guy. I mean, if the Raiders, I mean, we know the Riders. I mean, we know the Raiders and Giants are taking quarterbacks.

You start looking around this league. It could be another three teams taking quarterbacks. John Middlakov, three and out is his podcast at the Volume. Former NFL Scout. We chopped it up for an hour and 22 minutes it looks like to me. As always, John. Great, great talking. The Volume.

Hey, guys, it's us. The Jonas Brothers. I'm Joe. I'm Kevin. And I'm Nick. And guess what? We created our own podcast. Hey Jonas.

We invented a podcast? Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to it. We're the first people to do podcasts. We get to ask other people questions because we're sick and tired of being asked questions. Well, sick and tired is a strong way to put it, but, you know, tired and sick. Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Just listen. We don't care where you hear it.

Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smigel and Friends. Me and hilarious guests from. Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, S&L's Mikey Day and head writer, Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between

songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and Friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Will Ferrell's Big Money Players and IHeart Podcast presents

Soccer moms. So I'm Leanne. This is my best friend, Janet. Hey. And we have We've been joined at the hips since high school. Absolutely. A redacted amount of years later, we're still joined at the hip. Just a little bit bigger hips. This is a podcast.

We're recording it as we tailgate our youth soccer games in the back of my Honda Odyssey. With all the snacks and drinks. Why did you get hard seltzer instead of beer? Oh, they had a bogo. Well, then you got it. Listen to soccer moms on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas.

And I'm C.J. Tolodano. It's our favorite time of the year on our podcast. Point game, the playoffs. We're digging into the biggest surprises of the season. And I'm looking back on some of my greatest playoff moments. If we didn't talk ever again, I was hungry. You just understood. That's how personal it got.

Wow. Then after that game seven, Mark keep coming to you. He's like, you know, I love you, dog. You know, it's all love. This was just playoffs. This was just basketball. So listen to Point Game on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, I'm Deanna Maria Riva.

And on my new podcast, How Hard Can It Be? I call on my Gen X squad from all. Ohio to Hollywood as we navigate midlife's most fantastic BS. Unfiltered conversations from night sweats to futas to scheduling sex. Wait, what sex? Is it just me or does every woman my age want to look at Pinterest instead of having sex sometimes? They say we can't polish a turn, but we're sure going to try. So let's get blunt with laughs, tears, or tears of laughter.

Listen to How Hard Can It Be with Gianna Maria Riva on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an IHeart podcast Guaranteed human