The Ryen Russillo Podcast - “Everyone Sucks” and CFB Check-in With Bruce Feldman | The Ryen Russillo Podcast

Episode Date: October 25, 2019

Russillo explains how every CFB team can be (ir)rationally doubted (0:50), before he talks with The Athletic's Bruce Feldman about Ohio State, LSU, Clemson, Alabama, Georgia, Oklahoma, Texas, Michigan State, and more (10:10). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Okay, we're going to do some college football on today's podcast, including an open about everyone who sucks, because that's what everybody does when we're talking college football. We're going to talk with Bruce Feldman from The Athletic. He does not suck when he talks college football. He's one of my favorites. So we're going to hang out with him for a little bit, but I also want to remind you that State Farm is our presenting sponsor. Today's episode of the Ryan

Brasillo Show is brought to you by State Farm. If you're fumbling with insurance, State Farm agents are here to help because with over 19,000 agents, they're local to you and available to help. Whether you connect in person, by phone, or through the State Farm mobile app, agents are here to help. Go with the one that has coverage and agents you can count on.

State Farm, talk to an agent today. Probably do some NBA midweek. I wanted teams to play a few more games because we just did the preview thing with Bill and we've done some other stuff as well with the over-unders. So I feel like we've done a lot of preview stuff. But before I have theories on anything, although if the season ended today, Portland, the Lakers, Golden State, Houston, and the Pelicans will all be out of the playoff.

So just something to salt that little factoid away. Golden State lost to the Clippers last night. Clippers look like, I know it's a little early, this Clippers thing looks legitimately impressive. We knew they were going to be good, and I didn't want to pick them because I felt like everybody was just going Clippers, Sixers, Clippers, Sixers. So I just tried to do something different, but their role players all seem to know exactly what is needed of them.

It's almost like this perfect complement of guys. And you can kind of project more when Paul George is coming back and everything. But if you look at Golden State on the other side of this, okay, they shot, I actually can't believe 15 of 42, because watching it felt like they were worse from outside. But their overall numbers are below 40%. The reason Golden State only lost by 20, 141 to 122, is because they made every single

free throw except for one, so 29-30. But here's the point. So you're trying to watch the Warriors, you're like, what's going to happen? What's going to happen? But Glenn Robinson III played 30 minutes. Marquise Chris played 14. Eric Pascal, 31 minutes. We can talk about it being a blowout Jacob Evans there's guys like a team that we always knew and granted we know this because of changeover free agency and injuries right now but it's pretty simple when you just look and break this whole thing down and you go oh wait like look at all these different guys that are playing for the Golden State Warriors right now. So that's why I think we all picked them.

I don't know if all three of us did the under on them, but I still wasn't ready to just completely eliminate them from the playoffs either. I guess to me it was, yeah, I either say they're not making it. They absolutely are. I'm definitive or I'm like, yeah, it's kind of open to discussion here because we'll see how the seven or eight go. But I'd like to see a little bit more, but that was one of those things you're like, oh, that's right. That's who's going to be playing for this team

sometimes with the lack of depth right now because everything they've been doing the last couple years. So I do want to talk college ball. So this week's open is about how let's face it we all do this we're all guilty of it you do this thing where everybody sucks okay so i'm gonna ask bruce about it and i've been doing it like i was gonna do a top 10 once we got more depth in here and you know i'm sure we'll have rob mullins on again um talk some playoff committee stuff here on the podcast but it's really hard right now now one of the things i used to always hate about the bcs and i think we all hated it but it always got lucky i was always mad that there would be these scenarios these these armageddon type scenarios where two really good teams were

going to get left out and then the top two would get in because the computer formula and the coaches pull because the ap pulled out of it and there always, I think it was like 98 or 99. It was lining up to like five teams were all going to be undefeated. And then it all worked out. A bunch of teams had losses. They got one and two. And it was like, see, I told you the BCS is working again. And it was like, no, no, no.

Just because, like the best way to explain this is because the bad thing hasn't happened doesn't mean it's not still a possibility and that would be having a bunch of teams finish undefeated undefeated pack 12 champ only probably left out right now especially if everybody else was undefeated if it was a big 12 if oklahoma's undefeated ohio state's undefeated say alabama is undefeated clemson's undefeated there you're for done boom like nobody's gonna want to hear anything about it, right? Now, chances are usually that's not going to happen, but if you had this playoff selection thing go 20 or 30 years with just four teams, I guarantee you would have a two-loss year, maybe two two-loss teams in there where everybody just loses and you feel like

that's a letdown, or also maybe that really good fifth team or perhaps I don't know six seems like a reach but you understand my point right maybe it's just a bunch of teams with one loss they've all sort of knocked each other off maybe there's a non-conference in there it's a possibility and it could happen but what I see is I see five slash six teams because I'll admit I would have included Wisconsin in this because of that defense before the Illinois loss but now I don't really feel that bad putting Penn State in there. Now if Penn State played Ohio State tomorrow, I know I'm going to pick Ohio State, but we do this thing where it's really easy and we're kind of guilty of it. Some are really guilty of it where you do this thing where it's just like, hey, everybody sucks. So this is my game where I'm going to break down every team

like I'm a guy in the room that wants to argue against the other good team. Now, I think all these teams are good, and I think all these arguments I'm going to make, I'm telling you, are bullshit, but it's what you need to do, I guess, if you want to dump all over the other team. So let's start with the team I think has the best wins. Be like, yeah, LSU. Okay, sure. They beat Texas at the beginning of the year, but they're not that good now. I'm like, well, wait a minute. Aren't aren't they five and two but yeah they almost lost to kansas and they could have lost to west virginia if west virginia didn't turn it over a million times and they had a close one to local home state so actually by my math if you really want to look at texas you could argue there should

be two and five like yeah but they're five and two in rank sorry dude two and five on my book um yeah and they beat florida but they beat florida at home and florida was using their second third string qBs. Like, yeah, but wasn't that the whole point that they wanted to use their third string guy? Yeah, whatever, dude. Still second to third string. And their strength of schedule is not that strong. By some metrics, it's actually really bad because they beat Northwestern State. But I'm just going to leave that out and just say, hey, look, look at their strength of schedule. Like, isn't it better to play to Texas and play to Florida instead of having the one bad game? Nope. Look at the math, dude. Oklahoma.

Yep, they beat Texas. See above. But we already went through all of that. And UCLA, who wasn't any good. And, by the way, Kansas. Didn't love that they weren't total control in that game. And Jalen Hurts. I'm afraid he might be regressing a little bit from his production at the beginning of the year.

Ohio State. Okay, the only ranked team they beat was Cincy, who I guess is okay, but they beat a UCF team that's on the decline, and Smoker Nebraska, who stinks, and a Michigan State team that never should have been ranked, and none of that means much, and Justin Fields, who may be in the top 10 in pass efficiency, but he's also behind Minnesota's quarterback Tanner Morgan.

So how good is this guy? And by the way, P.J. Fleck 8-0 is coming. Bama, cool. You played Duke out of conference, but that was in Atlanta, neutral field. You haven't played any of the good teams in the SEC, which is top-heavy more this year than other recent years. A&M is perpetually ranked here for no reason. Their wins are Texas State, Lamar, Arkansas, at Ole Miss,

only beat them by a touchdown. So, you know, what are we really talking about here with Bama? And yeah, I'm sure you guys want to give them the benefit of the doubt and everything, but they've had a lot of staff changeover as well. And look, they were down to Arkansas who lost to San Jose State. And this is not the normal Bama D. And is Tua really a pro? That's another one you can throw in there at the end and be like,

I don't know about this Tua guy. I don't know if he's really a pro. He's always hurt clemson worst conference of the country not debatable almost lost to unc definitely given the benefit of the doubt much like the ohio state florida state and bama's of previous years coming off national championships and what's up with trevor lawrence 47th and past yards per attempt wisconsin well you know what i don't have to do that because they lost to illinois so that's the point it's really easy to do you just research a couple numbers.

You say that everybody they played actually stinks. And yeah, for good measure, you can knock a guy's pro qualities as a draft pick. And you should probably get to the destination that you want to get to. Not hard to do. And now it's time for the State Farm Safe Bet of the Week. The Arizona Cardinals you can count on. You're like, hey, Ryan, I thought this was the safe bet of the week. What's up, dude?

Yeah, exactly. No, I get it. And I got a little dangerous a couple weeks ago. We talked about Deshaun Watson going into Kansas City and winning. And I was actually, after I did it, I was like, eh, that probably wasn't the safest bet. That's not what State Farm's looking for.

But guess what? It worked out. So you're probably thinking, like, Arizona? New Orleans Saints? A defense that's allowed 260 yards or less? It's actually under 260 yards or less in four straight games from the line of scrimmage. Not rushing yards, not that.

Total yards. Line of scrimmage. LOS. Yeah. And they're getting Breeze back? Yeah. I don't think Arizona's any good either. But Kingsbury's getting some things done there. I don't even know if Kyler's any good. I have no idea. None. Zero. If you do, you're lying too. That's the safe bet of the week.

Arizona going into New Orleans and figuring out a way to keep it close. If you're fumbling with insurance, State Farm agents are here to help because with over 19,000 agents, they're local to you and available to help whether you connect in person by phone or through the State Farm mobile app. Agents are here to help, so go with the one that has coverage and agents you can count on.

Kind of like how you can count on the Arizona Cardinals to go into New Orleans and keep it close. State Farm. Talk to an agent today. Bruce Feldman from The Athletic. So I was going through your picks on The Athletic, and I have to wonder, because you have Ohio State doubling up Wisconsin,

35-17 I think is your pick. How much has that changed because of what happened with Wisconsin and Illinois? How would you have seen this game if it weren't for that loss last week? I'm not sure it's changed much, Ryan, to be honest. I think this is more a reflection. Our crew had Ohio State last week at Northwestern. They blew Northwestern off the field. Obviously, Wisconsin's way better on offense, especially than Northwestern is, but I just think what you've seen, and I've had Ohio State the last few years in some of our games and seen them up close and been around them.

This Ohio State team is different, I believe, than the ones of the last few years, because they look like they are playing a lot more freer mentally. They're playing faster. And I think they're just, the way they prepared is faster. I think they're just the way they prepared is different. I think the leadership around them is different. I'll be surprised if Wisconsin can hang with them for four quarters. This is a good Wisconsin

team. It's really good on defense. I just think right now this is a whole different animal we've seen from Ohio State than we've seen in the last few years. You are definitely consistent with everybody that's seen them. Every time I've listened to a guy that I like that's then seen them, like when Herbie had them from the Nebraska game, I was like, man, he's just really on them.

You've mentioned that you think they're the best. Klatt's mentioned that he thinks they're the best, and yet they just broke the number three spot in the AP poll because they were tied there before. So as I said at the open of this podcast, and it's something I felt over the last week or so, whenever I looked at the top five or six, and Wisconsin was in that six,

and now you put Penn State in there, I couldn't tell you you're wrong if you thought Ohio State was the best team in the country, but it does seem like you guys have access around it, whether it's a difference in their defense, Pociano, which was a real thing. When you get your ass kicked and Purdue runs all over you with the talent Ohio State has, something's wrong. Something's off there. When I look at them and I go, okay, we still haven't seen them beat somebody really good because Michigan State is not good. Northwestern was all defensive stat rankings based on playing nobody, but they

still get housed 52-3. So it sounds like those of you that have had them at some point, been in those production meetings, there's just a different vibe about this team and it isn't so much who they have in play, just the domination of who they have. Is that fair? Yeah, I think that's accurate. I mean, look, we were around them, I think it was sort of like three hours around them at their hotel the night before in meetings, met with players and coaches. I mean, look, we were around them. I think it was like three hours around them at their hotel the night before and meetings met with players and coaches. I think you hit on something there that was key. I did a story on Jeff Halfley.

He's really the guy who runs the defense now came from the NFL. He has really done a remarkable job there of simplifying things. Cause I think last year, certainly with Greg Shano, I think they tried to do probably too much, and the players were not flying around. I think they were a little unsure of their assignments. One of the things Halfley preaches is, at the snap, I want our cleats in the ground.

And what he means by a lot of that is, and he told me this in detail a little while back, that, you know, in college, I don't think you can either out-scheme people or you can try to be really locked down fundamentally. I know we have so much talent. I don't need to worry about trying to out-scheme people. We're just going to go really focused on being good tacklers,

which is something you don't see much for a lot of reasons now in college football, and they're that. And also, I think letting guys play fast. And think you see that the other part of this is I think you know we're seeing Ryan Day's leadership and he's been around the program and he knows it and there's been guys who are holdovers from the Urban Meyer staff whether it's Larry Johnson the line coach or making rides is a long time strength and guy. But I think there was so much drama around the program, especially in the last year.

First, there was all this scandal about Zach Smith, the former receivers coach, and there was issues with Urban Meyer's health and all the uncertainty with him and his future there. And I think right now what you see is just guys who are just unburdened by any of this. And

last year they would sputter and they would win close games that shouldn't have been close. And just watching them, like I'm on the field during the games and I'm around their sideline, I'm watching how they kind of carry themselves. And it is just different.

You see Chase Young's personality, which is just kind of an energetic, upbeat, really kind of let's go have fun kind of guy, whereas before, I felt like there was much more of a tension about just the tightness that they had. And I don't see that anymore. And to be honest, I think if they beat Wisconsin the way I think they will, I think people, the ones who are skeptical will still be skeptical, going, well, how good was Wisconsin? They lost to Illinois.

You know, I think that we won't find out, but if people are going to be skeptical about the Buckeyes, they will not be convinced until they go to the playoff and start bullying some of those caliber teams. So that's the thing. When I look at this and looking at it as if I had a vote, I'd vote LSU won just because I like their two wins better than anybody else. I think there's an argument to be made of who they are offensively

with their receiver depth, and there's always a couple running backs who can make some plays for it, and Burrow having a Heisman kind of candidacy here, like that feels real. So if I do that and I apply that to it, it's like why would I give Bama the benefit of the doubt? Because I'll admit watching them this year, maybe we were just conditioned to wanting to see something

that's perfect all the time from Bama. And I'm not surprised that they're still leading the way in first place votes in both polls. But it doesn't seem the same on defense for them. And I don't know if that's because they're a different team and they've morphed into this scoring team the last couple of years and it's going to be different. a different team and they've morphed into this scoring team the last couple years and it's just it's going to be different or if there's actually a real problem that we may not find out until say the LSU game or you know look if it doesn't expose itself in the LSU game then then I don't know when it would but I just whenever I watch any of these other teams like I go let's not do that thing where I'm giving one team the benefit of the doubt and another team I'm not for whatever

reason when it's basically the same stuff yeah Yeah, I think you said the right phrase. I think Alabama has the biggest benefit in the doubt factor from the people in the polls, whether they're voters who are coaches or not. And it's because of the track record. I mean, to a large degree, I mean, Clemson barely beat North Carolina, who's not a top 25 team, and they've been sputtering and haven't been that sharp against a really bad competition. Now, they've started to slide a little on the polls. Alabama isn't. And I think if they lose in a couple of weeks against LSU,

and that's in Tuscaloosa, I think you'll see some people who will say, well, even if Tua plays, well, Tua wasn't 100%, because how can you know when somebody's 100%? And that's just the reality of this kind of beauty contest, what we have. And I'm with you. LSU has proven the most. I mean, I don't think it's a great Texas team. They're not playing great now. I mean, they're certainly not very good on defense, but they beat a good Florida team. They're going to have to play Auburn this weekend. If they beat them, no one's going to have three wins anywhere near as impressive as what LSU

had. And I think what they've done on offense has been remarkable with Joe, Joe Burrow and Joe Brady coming in to change everything. And I think they're getting, they'll get better on defense now that they've gotten healthy. But I just think there's that skepticism of people going, well, they haven't beaten Alabama in like 10 years or almost 10 years. And I think that's the stuff that's kind of hanging around.

And I feel like even when Alabama's had down years, by their standards, they still bounce back and push people around in the playoffs to at least show them when they're at full strength or when they're a month off, that they get squared away. And I feel like that's the stuff that kind of hovers over the college football poll right now. So what do you think is going on with Clemson? I feel like it's a little bit of, hey, we know we got a lot of talent.

It's almost like we can flip the switch on when we want to. You know, people have made the comparison. It was a little like Jameis after they won the national title. I don't want to go there because Jameis had his own issues, and some of that I feel like did cloud things at Florida State. I do think it's a little bit like the USC liner teams, where everybody recognized how good they were, how special they were, and it was almost like a formality to them, especially when the conference isn't very good.

I mean, this is a bad conference with the exception of Clemson. And what you saw sometimes from USC and those teams were, you know, they'd have their handful at Arizona State. They'd have their handful at Notre Dame. And then, you know, Fresno State gave them a good game. It's one of those where they're going to blow out most teams. But I think there are some games where they're not bringing their A game. They're probably not bringing their C game.

But they can still win. And I think it's just that's the challenge for Dabo Sweeney where, to me, and I'm not saying Dabo is exactly like D. Carroll, but I do feel like some of these guys who are more the enthusiastic, high-energy guys as opposed to these of these guys who are more the enthusiastic, high-energy guys, as opposed to these kind of guys who have everybody under their thumb, where it's constantly stressed out. And I'm not saying one method is necessarily better than the other, but I think when you have that situation, you get that kind of vibe where, hey, we can flip the switch when

we want to, whether they would say anything like that's a different story. But I think that's what's going on there. You brought up Florida State after the title there with Jameis, and it's just something that I always think is worth bringing up because people always be like, oh, the SEC, the SEC. It's like, no, no, no, this is very simple. When you win at one of the major programs inside the SEC or outside of the SEC, you are given the benefit of the doubt after the fact.

Same thing's happening with Clemson. It's happened with Clemson a couple times during this run. A a couple years they deserved it and when they got blown out in the playoffs that year it was like you know all year I didn't really know that they were that good Ohio State after their run when they beat Oregon that following year it was like now we'll keep cranking them up I mean Ohio State has had this stuff happen too so for it to happen with Clemson is fine the weird thing for Clemson is going to be, I mean, the remaining schedules, BC, Wofford, NC State, Wake, and at South Carolina. And I just don't know who they're going to beat on the other side of the ACC.

They're going to be in the playoff, and there's still a chance we won't really know. Yeah, and I think you're riding on the the benefit of the doubt of hey i've seen brent venables what he does as defensive coordinator against high level teams and they're going to play free and they're going to they're going to rise up to somebody else's level and i feel like that's kind of what's going on with them a little bit where they're okay with you know they play aggressively and brent Venables called the game on defense really aggressively. I think more so than people when he plays Alabama, when Clemson plays Alabama, I think they know, you know what, our offense is going to score four or five

touchdowns. So we can do some stuff that maybe Dave Aranda at LSU is a little leery of doing because he knows, you know, we're going to have to win a game like 10-7 or 9-6. And that's how I feel like a lot of these SEC guys approach playing Alabama, whereas Clemson doesn't. I feel like they know they have so much confidence on both sides

of the ball that they play a little more aggressively. I don't know if it's fair to say it's reckless, but it's sometimes you see right now. I mean, Trevor Lawrence has twice as many picks in half a season as he did in 15 games last year. And I think some of the decisions he's making look like they're reckless. Now, maybe he got away with some of the reckless stuff last year that he's not getting away with now. I don't know, but I feel like that's the part of it. And ultimately, I think that's usually a good thing. Look, LSU right now is playing really aggressively with Joe Brady running that offense.

You see them doing stuff that Les Miles would be reluctant to do. Now, Les would go for it on fourth down and do some stuff in the special teams game, but just in terms of, hey, we're putting our foot on the gas, and it's okay to make some mistakes. Whereas Clemson, I feel like can get away with that now because of who they're playing. Some other teams, they do that, and they're going to lose. Whereas Clemson's talent level is so high, I think that ultimately that probably pays off for them in the long run.

I love the Oklahoma-Texas game because I really felt like, despite where the score ends up being, what, 34-27, that was a really dominant defensive effort from Oklahoma, from a team that we just don't know what to do with defensively over the years. And they can hate it, and Lincoln Riley can roll his eyes. It's like, well, you're the ones who keep making staff changes, so you can't be happy with it either. And now when I watch them, I don't expect it to be this, well, you know, it's a Big 12 team and they're going to have to, like Oklahoma can score 50. So it's not a big deal, but I don't know what to do with them.

Their secondary is really aggressive and that's turnover there that seems to be working out. I was kind of laughing as I was watching them. I think I was watching them in the West Virginia game, but definitely in the Texas game. They got flagged a bunch in the back end, and they kind of deserved all the flags, so I didn't think they were necessarily bad calls. And yet they sack Ellinger a million times. If they play against LSU's receivers or Bama's receivers, I feel like Oklahoma, if they're in the playoff against one of those two teams,

that entire game is going to be decided on how it's officiated. Because if you let Oklahoma's guys play because they are so physical and they're aggressive and everything, they kind of jump you immediately, then maybe. But if it's a flag fest, then I don't know. I don't know if they can hang with those teams because of the depth of receiver. Yeah, and I don't think that's the thing. I mean, they're going to face better receivers.

You're talking about LSU right now. They're getting Terrace Marshall back. He's their best red zone guy. Jamar Chase is going to break up. Justin Jefferson's good. They throw to the back. I mean, I think they're a whole different animal than what Oklahoma has seen so far.

I give Alex Grinson, the defense coordinator, a ton of credit. We did their game in mid-September. And Lincoln Riley said, I didn't hire him because of credit. We did their game in mid-September. And Lincoln Riley said, I didn't hire him because of scheme. I hired him because of how hard his guys play. And he obviously knew a lot of the Washington State guys

because of his connection to Leach. And he heard really good feedback from Grinch. And I think one of the things that sometimes we do in college football media is we fall in love with scheme guys and what's different. And the reality is a lot of times the quote unquote best coaches are the guys who just get their guys ready to be at their best on Saturday, whether it's simplifying things or making sure

that their mindset is right. So with Grinch, he had an interesting comment and he said, you know, it's not basketball. Like in basketball, you do not get rewarded by feeding the post. You know, you got to make the basket. He goes on a lot of times are guys in the past. What I noticed in Oklahoma was guys would break after they'd give up a big play. It might not be a touchdown, but then all of a sudden it was like, they'd go in the tank. And it was almost like they felt like they were like playing defense by

obligation, not because they wanted to. And's like you know what we we can't let one giving up a big play do us in and i think he's done a really masterful job of changing that mindset that mentality and that's not easy to do no it isn't and uh you know it just it feels like they're they're more complete and everything you just said makes sense because it's just like the numbers can be the numbers but i don't know whenever i just watch them i go you know this is different like this this game against texas last year is a 50 to 50 game and you know texas got a late touchdown and you know they were they were just kicking their asses most of that game, man. Yeah, they had like 10 sacks they got out.

I mean, they have a guy up front, Neville Gallimore. Every year he's on my freeks list. He's a Canadian kid who was a multi-sport athlete. I mean, he was 300 pounds, runs 4'8", or sub 4'8", and a real explosive athlete. He really hadn't done much of anything on the field till this year. And part of this defense, they've got him to play more aggressively. And it's like, hey, this is how we want you to play.

And he's been a force. He's disruptive. You know, Kenneth Murray, number nine, is all over the field making plays. And I just think you see it. It's not as good as those like Roy Williams defenses. They don't have those kinds of players at all three levels. I mean, I think, you know, they go up against Clemson, they go up against LSU with those receivers,

they go up against Alabama. They're going to be in for a long day. I'm not saying they can't win that game, but those are different level of receivers than what they're seeing consistently, maybe where you see one of those guys in the Big 12. UCLA had none of those guys when they played them. So, you know, it's definitely progress, though.

You're right, because it would have been a 50-48 game if they played Texas a year ago like that. Yeah, and that's really my point. You know, I don't want to make it sound like a negative thing. It isn't. It isn't. It's just that you're looking at an LSU with probably the most, I mean, other than, well, when you have Odell and Jarvis Landry, it seems impossible to think you could have a more talented group after the fact. But I think Jamar Chase is a stud for them.

And, you know, that's not even touching on the fact of what Bama can throw at you with like three first rounders there. So, you know, we'll see how that one plays out. Now, the Penn State game was weird. And then I'm like, man, Michigan's going to get housed again. This is awful. So the fact that they came back and fought a little bit made me go, okay, but that's not what the whole point of this is. And it really comes down to like, do you think Penn State is in this group? And I didn't love their offense earlier on. I thought the quarterback was a little iffy. And now he looks like another one of these Penn State guys

who makes a tough third down throw that I've completely overlooked. He's good when he runs it now. And I would put Penn State in this group. I know that sounds like a gap there, but I don't think this is massive drop-off because I think that's a really talented football team, as I've really had to change my mind about them in the last four weeks. Yeah, I think they're good. KJ Hamler is exciting, and Michael Parsons on the defense,

he can play with anybody. He may not always be in the right place, but he's playing harder and faster. He looks like an NFL freaky athlete out there running around in the defense. I think they're good. What I worry about with them a little bit is how much emotionally, I'd be curious, and this is probably a Palika kind of thing, what is their record the week after whiteout games?

How do they perform where they have this big adrenaline dump? And then what happens in the wake of that? I mean, I thought they were going to lose a lot without Trace McSorley's leadership and all the stuff he brought. And Clifford's a good athlete. He's a bigger guy. You know, I don't know if he's going to be as consistent as McSorley was. I like them. I'm with you. I think they're a legit top 10 team. I just wonder if they can sustain it because I feel like they have a lot of guys, this is a younger feeling team where it's freshmen and sophomores. These are the recruits Franklin

got going where these are like big time recruits. It's just a matter of, can they consistently do it? And I don't, I'm not sold that they can do that to hang with, with what's going on in Columbus right now. And I think that, you know, we'll, we'll see with what's going on in Columbus right now. And I think that we'll see if there's going to be a little bit of a hiccup because they're going to play a team now in Michigan State that I don't think will give up as many big plays or anything close to what they did last week with what Michigan gave up. Yeah, Michigan was really frustrating to watch,

to let themselves get Hamler free so many times. And that really kind of ended up being the game. was really frustrating to watch, um, to let themselves get Hamler free so many times. Um, and that really kind of ended up being the game, but Ohio state, they're going to have, they have Penn state at home too. So that's right. They finish up Penn state and then at Michigan,

those teams behind them, like Georgia should not be ranked ahead of the teams that they're ranked ahead of. Um, I'm sorry. I think that's a bad loss and you lose south carolina with a backup quarterback in um george is still sitting third string quarterback they've lost too yeah that's right that's right because um

they're technically got hurt and they went to the third string guy you know so to me that's a that is a it's just a clunker they did not look good i mean they kentucky was playing a wide receiver quarterback so i i've been really underwhelmed by them offensively i get it they have a lot of five-star dudes and i you know i don't think that's a great division they're in i think they'll probably find a a way to beat Florida and then go play for the SEC title. And they have enough athletes to hang with people. I just, right now, something seems off with them. It just does. And I'm with you. I don't feel like they deserve to get a top 10 based on what they've done on the field so far. Yeah, that's it. It's just something's off with them. And it's not what I wanted. It's not what

I expected because I picked them to win the whole thing, and now I'm like, okay, that's just not happening. And I know that they actually could still find a way back into this, which nobody wants to hear, but I don't even think they're deserving of that. The Kentucky game, Kentucky completed their first pass with four minutes left in the game. Yes, I know it was raining, Kentucky. Yes, Kentucky, I know that he was a wide receiver that was a quarterback

who switched to wide receiver and everything. But for a team, like when we look at all the teams that we just went through and then you go okay what's georgia looked like the last month it's not even like it can't even be brought up like there's no point of even extending the segment on this because they're just not as impressive and i'm shocked to see that many people not see it that are voting here oregon should be ahead of them um utah's loss is really weird too, but I like Utah better than them right now. The Wisconsin one, you can't lose it to South Carolina. It's one thing. Lose it to Illinois, something else entirely. So I don't know how

far down I can go here, but Georgia's ninth in the coaches poll and they're 10th in the AP. And I think there's at least two teams that should be in front of them. Not that this stuff is the end of the world, but yeah, it just hasn't been. It's been about a month now. I think they're getting the benefit of the doubt because they've played Alabama close in years past and they have a bunch of five stars they've signed. They're not getting it.

Those coaches have not watched hardly any. They didn't watch that South Carolina game, which was a dud, and they didn't watch any of the Kentucky game. I mean, I don't know how you could have watched either of those, much less both, and come away thinking, yeah, this is a top-ten team. It's not. They're not playing at that level. They're just not. So the team that we just brought up here, because you picked Oregon to beat Washington last week,

I thought that was kind of a tough game to pick. They're on the road in that one. And Oregon's defense has been really the story there more, I think, this year than the offense has been. And Herbert, who I tweeted out, I go, every time I'm sick of him, he does something awesome where he'll throw a 20-yard out to the opposite hash. And then I'm back in, and then I feel like he just gets a little loose with it. So yeah, I guess we wanted him to be really consistent or prove to us he looked like a guy who could be a number one overall pick.

I still think he's good. I think that was a really good win. But now with Bringland out at the tight end, the Oregon defense is the thing I trust the most about this team, and that surprises me now halfway through the season. Yeah, we have them back-to-back weeks, so I feel comfortable talking about them in depth. And Andy Avalos was hired from Boise State to replace Jim Levitt, and he's done a really,

really good job. I mean, Andy Avalos looks like he's 20 years old, comes into the meeting, and he's different, certainly than 60-plus-year-old Jim Levitt was. But I think they play really hard, and they have recruited really well. I mean, you see it. I mean, Javon Holland is one of the best defensive backs in the country. He is an explosive, freaky athlete who has just kind of a glow about him. I mean, they have that at all three levels. Troy Dye is a real leader who can run and make a ton of plays. I like what they have. I mean, Herbert's a little bit of an enigma,

because you're right. I mean, he has first pick in the draft, kind of physical tools. He has a great arm. He runs really well. He's big and he's smart. The only parts that give you pause are he does not have a ton of presence about.

Like, that will get picked apart, whatever, eight months from now, or whatever, six months from now, we go start going through that draft process. He does not have the, the kind of, you know, when Trent Dilfer's talking thermostat thermometer, he does not jump out in that regard. The other thing that I think that people don't realize is all the other quarterbacks have had great years. Joe Burrow, Tua's put up the numbers, Justin Fields,

obviously Jalen Hurts. All those guys have really terrific receivers. Oregon had their best receiver, the most talented receiver, really didn't come back until mid-season. Their most talented receiver might be Micah Pittman, who's Michael Pittman's younger brother. He's not as big, but they just love what he brings to them.

He didn't get healthy until like week seven. So he's still getting in the shape. Then you mentioned Breeland, who he got hurt in our game against Colorado the week before Washington. He's out for the year. He was a really good weapon for them in the middle of the field. So a little bit of, you know, and look,

he's, I think, 21 touchdowns, one pick. He still had a really statistically really good year. But their receivers don't, you know, and look, he's, I think, 21 touchdowns, one pick. He still had a really statistically really good year, but their receivers don't, you know, they didn't get open in the second half against Auburn. There wasn't a ton for him to do with that. So I give them

a little bit of a pass with, I give him at least a little bit of a pass just because he's not, he doesn't have the guys that Trevor Lawrence is working with. I mean not he doesn't have the guys that that trevor lawrence is working with i mean he doesn't have the guys that joe burrow's working but i think they're a good physical team and i think they're the best team on the west coast but i don't it wouldn't surprise me if they sputtered someplace else and had a game where you know the receivers didn't get open and maybe it was a game where the offense couldn't get on track and they lose, you know, 20 to 17.

I mean, because I just don't think when they don't have the kind of difference makers outside who can just win and make a lot of big plays, then I think that's where your margin for error kind of gets a little smaller. And as good as his arm is, I think that's kind of what he's, that's the uphill battle here. Yeah, the Cal game's a good, everything you just said is kind of like

the Cal thing, you know? You're going, I know Cal's defense, I know they're on a backup quarterback here, but, you know, it took Oregon 60 minutes to win that game 17-7. And you're like, alright, so am I supposed to like this team enough to argue for them when it comes playoff time? Because as of right now, that is not the case. I have a quick read here, and then we'll do a couple rapid fires

as we finish up here with Bruce Feldman, The Athletic. Today's show is brought to you by Sideline, the free, real-time mobile sports app that lets you get more out of live sports. You think every moment can't be as exciting as a Pat Mahomes deep pass or a fourth quarter tie? Now it is.

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visit winsideline.com. or visit winsideline.com that's winsideline.com so now that we're um you know hidden i can't believe i don't want to say you know almost finished but hitting the stretch here where we feel like everybody's going to have to play somebody what's um what's the thing you're most proud of as far as your predictions then we'll do one that you hated because i know you guys have already done that yeah um i feel like i'm by far most proud of talking about how bill brady was going to be a huge hire at lsu yes i gotta yes give that credit to ogeron he was the one who told me hey we got a guy you're gonna see this and i went down there in the spring i remember writing a story about this guy who nobody had ever heard of, unless you were like in the new Orleans saints facility.

He wasn't an on-field coach. And I remember, I just remember Ogeron saying, this guy has answers for everything. And when he says answers, he doesn't mean like he's Google or whatever he means. Hey, if they do this,

this is our counter to it. And it's all that stuff where he makes football look easy. And everything that Ogerron said has been true. You watch what they did, you see how those players go. Um, you know, I, I mean, it's crazy because I can't remember ever a guy who was this far off the radar. Like I'm there for three days. And I think in the beginning of April, I remember I was like, Hey, you mind if I sit down and do a story with you? And so as I'm in his office, he was like, you know, this is the first interview I've ever done.

Cause he wasn't a great player at William and Mary. He was a, you know, reserve wide receiver. Then it was a GA at Penn state. And then he goes to LSU, he goes to the saints and he's, you know, he's not a, uh, he's not like a position coach. So just to see how that guy's done, I like, that'll be the best prediction or story, advanced story, that I probably will ever do because it won't work out this well.

Well done. Okay, give me one you hated. My Georgia one sucks. I just didn't want to pick Bam McClemson again. I was just trying to do... Wait a minute. Sorry know, then Rutgers. Wait a minute. Sorry.

Hold up. Hold up. Can you say that again? You just, you totally cut out there for a sec. Yeah. The worst one for me is going to be right now. Michigan. If Shea Patterson plays back-to-back good weeks in a row,

and then he plays, you know, well again, against Notre Dame this weekend and leads them to an upset, then maybe some of this is muted. But that's been the issue. They have turned the ball over a lot. They have sputtered. I touted that I thought they might have the best offensive line in the country, and it's not been anywhere close to that.

That was a bad one. That was a bad one, especially when now i'm looking and going well if there aren't rival that's the one who like they're gonna move away right into the playoff yeah no i mean look the people love the gaddis hire just like they love the joe rady hire and one is revolutionizing a program and the other has you going, how come Shea Patterson still looks like he's confused the entire time? Is there still one place you haven't been for a game? There's no way that's possible, right? Is there one place that you're like, actually, I've never done a game there?

Yeah, I'm embarrassed to admit this, but I've never been to Clemson. I've never been there. We, you know, at Box, we have Big 12, the Pac-12, and the Big 10. I've been to everywhere in the SEC for my time at ESPN and Box. But when I was at ESPN, Clemson wasn't that good. And so I just never have been there. I mean, I know Davos Weenie, and I've written about a lot of those guys. But I have never been to Clemson for a game,

especially with the way it works now with my schedule. I'm not, I'm working games. So there could be a, you know, there isn't this year, but there could be a great in season game at Clemson and I can't get to it. Now I can, I've seen them in person a bunch cause they're in the playoff, but that's one place where I'm embarrassed to say I have never been to Clemson for a college football Saturday. Okay, do you have a prediction on a coach who's going to be plucked by the NFL? The one I would think that they should be

really kicking the tires on is Matt Rule. He's interviewed before. He's getting paid a lot of money as part of his new deal. He's done a great job at Baylor. He spent a little time in the NFL. I just think the NFL people are going to go, this is a guy we really should hire. Whereas Lincoln Riley, I get why his name comes up a lot.

I don't think Lincoln Riley has a huge... He knows he's got a great situation there. He knows he works for a great AD, and he knows he can win national titles there. I think Matt Rule is the one that people need to really keep an eye on there. All right, man. Hey, enjoy Texas TCU, and we'll be watching, and we can follow you at?

Bruce Feldman, CFP. There you go, Bruce Feldman, college football, and all of his work on the athletic. Thanks, man. Okay, have a great weekend, everybody. Enjoy Ohio State, Wisconsin. I can't wait for that one. I don't know. Okay. Have a great weekend, everybody. Enjoy Ohio state, Wisconsin. I can't wait for that one. Um, I don't know. Maybe I was looking forward to that one more. We got LSU and Auburn and, uh, we'll be talking NFL on Monday with Chris Long. Outro Music