The Matt Thomas Show with Ross - Joel Klatt Joins Matt Thomas To Talk LSU v Alabama

Episode Date: November 6, 2019

Joel Klatt of FOX Sports joins Matt to discuss the College Football Playoff Rankings, LSU v Alabama, and all the big Matchups of the Week

And now we're talking college football with Joel Klatt. Brought to you by Dos Ekes, official beer sponsor of the college football playoff. It is one of our favorite parts of the week as we lead the conversation in the college football with the lead analyst from Fox Sports during the big 10 big game at 11 o'clock. And then later on in the afternoon, the other network will have, I don't know, someone interesting game between LSU and Alabama. Joel, how are things? First and foremost, did you sit in front of a television to see the first rankings come out, or you're like, I'll catch it later? I did sit in front of the TV.

I had my two-year-old with me. He was watching a little paw patrol on the iPad, and I was watching rankings come out. And when you saw him, you went, me, like, okay, that looks good. Tell me what your first blush observations were on it. Yeah, I mean, I actually thought that. they were about as good as they ever have been, to be honest with you. I thought that this committee balanced out what they're supposed to, which is equal parts, kind of eye test, football acumen, dominance on the field, and

resume and data and analytics. And they gave us the correct number one team because by any metric, whatever way you, you slice it, Ohio State, not only from a data, analytics standpoint would be the number one team in the country, but also if you were just watching and you saw how complete and balanced and dominant they've been, you'd put them as number one. So not only that, but I thought that they did the right thing kind of with the Bama, Clemson. The only thing I thought maybe was Georgia was a hair higher than they should have been. Maybe Oregon should have been in that spot.

But that being said, I actually thought that they did a really nice job. All right. So for the 230 game coming up in Tuscaloosa, LSU and L. Alabama. How many times have you envisioned in your mind how this thing's going to go down? And do we have different results or do you think there's still a clear favorite in this game? I don't know if there's a clear favorite. I've been saying for ever since two, it went down with that injury. You know, for me, it all depends on his health and his ability to be, I don't want to say explosive as a runner, but to have your lower half as a quarterback is very important for your ability to throw with,

your ability to drive the football, throw accurately. And so his effectiveness in this game, I think, is of paramount importance because the reason being, I really think that LSU is going to be able to score points. I think that Bama's defense is susceptible this year with all the youth that they have. And I think Joe Burrow in that passing game is really, really tough to stop. They shot themselves in the foot a couple of times inside the red zone against Auburn or else they could have scored, you know, 30, 35 points pretty easily. And I think that that's a total that they could potentially get to even against Alabama on the road.

So because of that, Bama is going to need a healthy Tua. They're going to need some semblance of balance, even though they're not a great running team this year. And those wide receivers are going to have to have one heck of a game. I think at the coin clip right now, I'm leaning a little bit Bama as Tua becomes more healthy, as the reports are that he's healthy. and with that game being in Tuscaloosa. And that's the last I wanted to talk to you about. I mean, is the home field in this particular matchup means so much?

Because if you were to take 10 articles and look at this game, most people would say this is the best LSU team that's ever gone to Tuscaloosa in many, many years. The best quarterback, you've got a good solid defense on that side of the football. Why can't LSU go to Tuscalo and say we are better, whether two is at 50%, 100% or zero? and win this football game based on the fact that we're pretty damn good. Yeah, they might. Listen, I'm not putting that past them. There's no doubt.

In fact, if Tua is not healthy, you know, if he's hobbled at all, I think LSU is going to win the game. And what the committee told us last night, at least in my estimation, is that Alabama has no room for air. Matt, I really believe them at three was kind of a shot across the bow of, hey, you can't lose and just get in because your family. Your schedule is not strong enough this year. And I think that became very apparent last night.

So, listen, is that true? Yeah, maybe. You know, I think this is a great LSU team. Now, I will say this, this LSU team is not exactly the rushing team or defensive front seven that you've seen in the past. I think you would agree with that. Yeah. But I will say this, like, what teams would just stand toe to toe? with Alabama and win anyways.

Even when it's been Clemson beating them or Ole Miss a couple of years ago, what have teams been able to do? They've been able to throw the ball. They've been able to have dynamic quarterback play, and they've been able to score points. They've gotten in shootouts and beaten Alabama that way. So you could make the argument that is this the overall best team LSU has had? I don't know, maybe is this the correct LSU team to potentially go and win this game?

I think you can make an argument that it is. Is the Big Ten beating its chest today? I mean, Florida State number four, you've got Minnesota that's undefeated. You've already got Ohio State in the mix. I mean, I wouldn't say resurgence because that's not fair, but Ohio State's been the mix. But that second classic team in the Big Ten, it's kind of rotated Michigan a little bit until they lose Ohio State year and year out. How is the Big Ten feeling right now about where things are in terms of their college football playoff standings?

They've got to feel good because I know that the sentiment is always, And rightly so because of their strength at the top that the SEC could get two teams into the playoff, right? But I think that there's a scenario, Matt, and this is what's wild. I think there's a scenario where the SEC gets to and the Big Ten gets to. It's the two road teams and these marquee matchups down the stretch, Penn State and LSU, lose really close games, well-played games, no injuries, like really close. on the road. Don't you see a scenario in which, let's say,

Clemson stubs their toes somehow, some way, and loses the game? At that point, I really think that there's a chance that you could get two Big Ten and two SEC teams in the playoff. How is Clemson supposed to build its resume right now? Well, they can't. That's the problem. They just have to win all their games. If they went all their games, they're going to go.

They have zero room for error. And I think what the committee is saying with them at five is we're acknowledging the weakness in your conference. We're acknowledging the weakness in your schedule. That being said, with teams, two of them ahead of you for sure losing at some point, I think that Clemson will go, there's no doubt, as the fourth or third place team, if they're undefeated. But rest of sure, I believe that they have zero room for error. They will not get a mulligan, just like I think Alabama. may not get in a mulligan. I think that the mulligans that are out there for non-champions

might go to Penn State and LSU based on where they're ranked, or maybe Ohio State, based on where they're ranked. Joe Clatt, Fox Sports with us here on the Matt Thomas Show on Sports Talk 790. There was a report out of a highly reputable ABC station in Tallahassee, Florida, that had Bob Stubes close to taking the Florida State job, and he rebuked that pretty early. But with the names that I'm seeing, at least early on at the Florida State spot, Why wouldn't Bob Stub to take that job if he wanted to want to get back into coaching? I just don't think he wants to, right?

So the assumption that you're making is that he would want to get back into coaching. I don't think that he wants to. I think that this Dallas gig in the XFL is something very different than taking over the reins of a college football program. I think that if you wanted to coach in college football, he'd still be doing it in Norman. He loved coaching there. Loved coaching there. He loved who he worked for in Joe Castiglione. He was comfortable there.

His family was there. His son was on the team. Drake Stoops or entering into about to be on the team as a walk-on. So if he wanted to be in college football, he would be. And that's why I don't think that this is real. I texted with Bob. He said that it's absolutely rumor. There's no intent there.

There's no accuracy there. And to be honest, this is the exact wrong way to go about it if you're Florida State. You've got to be in control of the narrative. when you're hiring a coach. I'm not saying it has worked out since, but what I'm about to say is that I thought UCLA's process of hiring a head coach was very good.

Why? Well, because no one, quote, unquote, turned them down or had to say publicly, I'm not interested. The more times that people publicly say they're not interested, I think starts to, at a point, chip away, devalue the strength of your job that you're trying to sell to somebody. So from that standpoint, I think, Florida State is up against it. They need to circle the wagons. You cannot have rumors out there.

You need a very small search party. You need to target somebody and you need to go get it done. And that being said, you know, it looks like this is going to be fairly wide open. They said that the boosters are going to be involved. There's this large search party. So you're not going to be in control of the narrative. Because guess what boosters do? They talk. Why are they boosters? Because they love the illusion of power. Yeah. They love the illusion of power. That's a lot. Joel. That's why they're boosters in the first place.

They do. They do what do you think they're going to do? They're going to talk. They had power. They found $20 million to buy out Willie Taggart. $20 million for a coach to go away. That, my friend, is power. That's crazy.

All I'm saying is in a form of narrative. Yes, they do have power. That's why they're involved. 20 million is crazy. A couple of years ago, there were five power five coaches that were paid to not coach, and that total was somewhere in the $74, $76 million range, which is just wild. I think it's irresponsible, these contracts that are given with these massive guaranteed buyouts for these coaches that are totally unproven and have no track record of success,

which was the case for Willie Taggart. I think it's fiscally irresponsible of these schools. It's from a business standpoint, really poor form. So, yeah, now the boosters step in. They provide the $20 million. They gain some power. They gained access to the table, right? They gained access behind the closed doors.

All I'm trying to say is those are the wrong people you want behind the closed doors. Why? Because as soon as they step out of the room, what do they want to do? They want to talk about the fact that they're in the room. That's why they gave the money in the first place is perception and illusion of power. Yeah. Wow. Last question.

Can Baylor end the year three and one at TCU, Home, Oklahoma, Home Texas, at Kansas and playing the Big 12 championship team. The Baylor Bear is a team that two years ago didn't win a game. I think that they've got a shot. I'm actually calling for if I had to pick an upset this week, I believe it would be TCU. The way that Baylor played against West Virginia, as the pressure mounts on Baylor,

they don't have their best player on defense. You know, I think those are really tough things to overcome. So I think that TCU's got a great shot. I think as Texas gets healthier, they're probably a better team than Baylor. I think Oklahoma is a better team than Baylor. I hope it's not the end of their run, but this may be kind of the calm before the storm for them and for Minnesota.

And Joel, we'll leave it that, my friend, Grace of as always, you'll have Maryland versus Ohio State this week. As you would know in the business, you may have to have your film material ready by May, maybe mid-second quarter. Got my laptop open right now in the car. I love that. You're nowhere. I love that.

Joe, we'll talk next week. Thanks for the time, friend, as always. You got a button. All right, let's see you. Joe Clat, Fox Sports.