The Triple Option - Michigan's Future, Diego Pavia Pouts, Kyle Whittingham Retires, & CFP Round 1 Picks

Episode Date: December 17, 2025

Dave Portnoy, Michigan football head coach? Urban Meyer, Mark Ingram, and Rob Stone discuss Michigan football after Sherrone Moore was relieved of his duties. Coach takes us behind the scenes with how the players are reacting and who could fill the shoes for the Wolverines next. Mark names his Deuce Deuce Dawg of the Week, Navy's Blake Horvath, before Coach talks about his time at one of the greatest rivalries in all of college football. The guys then Sound Off! on Diego Pavia's post Heisman comments after finishing second to Fernando Mendoza. #HeisMendoza Coach then talks about Kyle Whittingham's legacy at Utah and the future for the Utes after his retirement. The guys hit the two-minute drill, previewing James Madison v Oregon, Tulane v Ole Miss, and Miami v Texas A&M. 1:40 Any Given Saturday - Michigan's Future 8:02 The next Michigan Man 18:30 Dawg of the Week - Blake Horvath, Navy QB 25:07 Diego Pavia Sounds Off 33:50 Kyle Whittingham Retires 36:57 College Football Playoff Picks New episodes of The Triple Option drop every Wednesday. Make sure you’re subscribed on YouTube and following on all podcast platforms. Also make sure you’re locked in on social @3XOptionShow on all platforms for highlight moments, bonus content, and to engage with the guys and the TO community. (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tripleoptionshow.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) The Triple Option is presented by Wendy’s. Join Team Tendy’s and enjoy a line-up like never before. Crispy. Juicy. Tendy’s Now at Wendy’s. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.tendys.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Thank you to our additional sponsors Google – No matter what question comes next, you can just ask Google. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.google.com/gasearch?udm=50&aep=46&source=25q4-US-JAG-YouTube-NCAAPo⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ FanDuel – Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Fanduel.com/TripleOption⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to download the app and take advantage of a 50% Profit Boost today! USAA – Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.USAA.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ NHTSA - Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over https://www.nhtsa.gov/campaign/drive-sober-or-get-pulled-over?utm_source=sinclair&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=labordayimpaired2025&utm_content=custom_alcohol #CollegeFootball #CollegeFootballPlayoff #CFP #Heisman #BigTen #SEC #Michigan #SherroneMoore #Barstool #DavePortnoy #Miami #Alabama #OhioState #FernandoMendoza #Indiana #Utah #KyleWhittingham Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Coach, I got to show you love, man, because you are an influencer. That video you took at the game going around the stadium, everybody was turned up and down, jumping up and down. I mean, like, you was talking about atmosphere. That looked like an amazing atmosphere, coach. Saw influencer? What the hell has happened to you, coach? Shout out to the influencer, college football Hall of Famer, college football analyst, podcaster, grandfather. This man is the Jack Altraise.

If you can't beat him, join him, man. Coach doesn't even know how to turn on his camera. Are you kidding me? He was trying to send a text. The next thing you know, there's a video coming out at us. The Triple Option is presented by Wendy's. Join Team Tendies and enjoy a lineup like never before. Crispy, juicy, Tendies, now at Wendy's.

Welcome to the Triple Option. So glad you're with us this week. He is the College Football Hall of Famer. The College Football Hall of Famer. In the flesh. That was a good trip to Las Vegas. He is soon to be College Football Hall of Famer. Mark Ingram the second.

Duce Duce. I'm Rob Stone. So glad you're with us this week. Hey, man. A lot to get to this week. College football playoffs finally begin Friday and Saturday. And, of course, so much to talk about and digest with what has transpired in Ann Arbor. As always, thank you for joining us.

We love it when you can rate and subscribe and share. We are on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, wherever you find your podcast, social media. You can find us a 3X option show. episodes every Wednesday, whether it's on YouTube or wherever you get your podcast, please leave those questions, leave those comments. We'd love to respond to them. Let's get right to it, Duce Duce. Time now for any given Saturday.

And my goodness, the news that has been coming out of Ann Arbor has really kind of taken over the, not just the college football landscape, like the entire sporting landscape. It's even kind of worked its way out into North. normal conversation for sure. Sharon Moore out as head coach after two seasons. He was fired for cause. It came quickly. It came immediately and a lot to digest. And I'll say this, Mark, I always felt a little bit that Sharon Moore as respected of an offensive coordinator that he was. I think there's a lot of people. That includes Michigan people that felt maybe he was a bit over his skis as a head coach. The record wasn't great, had pretty good success.

against Ohio State. But I know when I first heard the news, I was like, the timing seems off, but maybe Michigan just said, this isn't good enough when we need to make a change. And then all the news came out. And it became just, to me, Mark, I think it's one of the saddest stories

I've ever encountered in all of athletics. Yeah, Rob. We all love college football. We all love sports. And we obviously heard of the amount of coaches that have been fired through college football. but when you start hearing the information of what transpired to cause this firing,

you start thinking of the human element of this thing, man, and all the lives that are impacted, not only a program in Michigan, one of the Blue Bloods in college football, but Sharon Moore, family, children, another family, you know what I mean? So you just start having sympathy and empathy for, you know, these families that are being impacted, in these lives that are being changed forever.

And I can't help but to, you know, hope that they can heal and be able to move forward with their lives because I know as painful as it is, we saw the Sharon Moore video when he was doing the court thing. Man, that was tough to watch. Yeah, he looked like a shell of himself, man. He looked lifeless. And, you know, someone who has spoke to Sharon Moore.

And like you said, you spoke about, you know, him maybe being a little bit over his skis, but I think he was dealt the hand and he played he played his hand the best way that he possibly could. You know what I mean? Coach Harbaal leaves. There's suspensions.

There's all this bad stuff that got handed out to him. I thought he handed it really well. Obviously, his players love playing for him. But ultimately, man, just to hear the information that has happened, it's just heartbreaking.

And my heart and thoughts and prayers go out to all the families involved and hopefully everyone can heal and continue to move forward with their lives. But coach, I know you got some thoughts. I know you got some insights. Like you always do, you're the man with the plan.

What you got on the Michigan front right now? Yeah, I did know what you said, Mark, about the family and the human element. I made that comment last week. Yes, you did. You know, rivalry put aside. I mean, this is you're talking about young kids and the whole deal. So I'll tell you, the Wolverines had a tough few years, man. After putting together, you just go back, put it in reverse.

a couple of years. That's one of the best teams in modern history. And then all of a sudden stuff after stuff and serious stuff. You know, and I'm not talking about this current one, but, you know, I remember even a couple of guys on big news says, well, coach, everybody does that, you know, the sign steal. I said, no, they don't. I've never heard of that in my life. What are you talking about? Yeah. You know, yeah. So, and then, and then the COVID violations. So there's been a lot of stuff go on. Here's interesting though, Mark and Rob is that, there's two guys on that staff they were on my staff

and I spoke with one of the coaches today and he made the comment to me this is really a positive that they are of great kids up there and no one seems to be bailing in this day and age mark of you you're a player I mean yeah I mean my gosh

and this isn't just you just you did make the playoffs but they're nine and three and they're playing a hell of a team in Texas that the whole world's going to be watching this game right he said they're going about the business trying to win a game, which of all the negatives, that's a positive. And that's the quality of person, I guess they have in Ann Arbor. What I find interesting going on in Michigan right now is think

about it, like three of arguably the biggest positions at the university are in flux, right? They have an interim president, number one, all right? Their athletic director, Ward Manuel, I'm not sure he survives this. There is a thorough investigation going on for about, for all the actions that have transpired lately through the athletic department right and coach kind of touched upon it but you go back there there were issues with the men's hockey team a few years ago with joan howard as the basketball coach the connor stallions uh sign stealing the multiple suspensions for coach harbaugh remember the former offensive coordinator there um federal indictment for unauthorized access to to computers and aggravated identity theft um you know and then this charon more bomb and how it happened

you know that's a lot of stuff under ward manual right so so you've got an interim president you've got an athletic director that is essentially you know being investigated right now if you will by an outside company on how the athletic department has handled things and ward manuals on top of that and they don't have a head coach right now so their acting head coach is biff pogee talk about uncertainty at university of michigan right now you know i've been going to a couple holiday parties the last couple days there's a lot of michigan people where i live and they, like, beeline to me, Mark. Like, they just want to talk about, what have you heard?

Straight to you. Straight to me. And they cut right to it. It's not like, how the holidays, you know, how's the family? It's like, hey, what's going on with Michigan? What are you hearing how they doing? And they are in an incredible state of flux and indecision right now because I think they're locked by their inability right now to go for because they have so many question

marks with the hierarchy. And I don't know when those decisions happen. And one of the things that has to happen, and it's an awful time to do it, is they've got to find a head coach, Mark. Right. And if you need a head coach right now at this point of time, it is not the spot that you want to be. It is the most inconvenient spot to be in if you need a head coach at this point in time.

You talked about the uncertainty of this program. Like you said, interim president, AD is getting investigated from an outside source. There's been a lot of suspect activity. that's happened under in this athletic department while ward manual has been the athletic director now you have an interim head coach so there's a lot of uncertainty around michigan but with that being said we need to talk about a head coach we know it's not the right time we know it's not convenient to be needing the head coach right now coach who do you think is a good fit for michigan right now yeah i think you got to add that the transfer portal is about to pop here too

so you're gonna there's a potential losing a roster but like i said that uh uh uh uh my My inside source says that the players are all in. They're going to try to go win this game. So this is interesting that you have Florida, LSU, now the Wolverines, you're talking of the bluest of Blue Bloods is open. And I've been like you guys just listening. I don't have much inside scoop on this. But someone said like Marcus Freeman and what are out of your mind?

You know, Kaelin DeBoer, you're not going to leave Blue Blood to go to. I don't, I mean, I've never really heard of that. Coach DeBoer put out They made Coach DeBoer put out a statement yesterday He said he's not interested He hasn't had any contact I'm like don't even acknowledge You know what I mean

Here's what's going on Mark Here's what's going on I'm convinced when you hear that stuff That's an agent out there Throwing his name out And I can promise you You're going to hear the word extension and a raise So that's what happens

You know the name that popped up Is the Washington coach Jed Fish He was actually at the Wolverines When I coached against I want to say back in 12, 13, 14, early in my career at Ohio State. Jedfish was part of the Wolverine staff. I believe he will.

I think he was with Jim Harbaugh. And then, but I don't, I don't know if he'll leave Washington or I don't know if, you know, is he? You want to know, you want to know a name that's coming up on the radar coach? Talk to me. Urban Meyer. That's my, I think that's my agent doing that to get me a raise on Big News. You know, the name I met him real quick at the Hall of Fame was Clark Lee. And you talk about a guy that I know Brady Quinn loves him.

Brady Quinn loves him. He was at Notre Dame, I guess. And I don't know much about him other than the job he's done. But that kind of name, when I saw that name show up, that made sense. And then the coach at Arizona State, he's done a great job. And I keep hearing his name bounced around. So Blue Blood of Blue Blunt. Yeah, Dillingham.

Dillingham, and I don't, once again, I don't know him, but he's done a hell of a job there. And I would imagine they're going to throw some things against the wall, see if they stick, and then they're going to get real, which normally happens. And that means they're going to go try to hire a guy that wants to be a Wolverine. Mark, let me throw this out. And we kind of talked about this a couple weeks ago with this flood of vacancies. And who's going to fill this, right? And I had this feeling that there's going to be a lot of programs,

they're going to be forced to hire a head coach that they don't really want to be their head coach that maybe they don't believe in with all their heart or maybe they need to take a little bit more of a risk than they would like to because they're just there's just so much transactional activities going on you know why not just stay with bif pogee right if things work out and listen he was already interim head coach a couple times this season when sharon more was suspended right and he has head coaching experience he's a guy that loves michigan that bleeds at the locker room as coach was talking about, believes in this guy. They haven't left the program. You know, I think if POGI has a good couple of weeks and the Citrus Bowl against Texas goes well, and again, there's all this indecision going on at Michigan, maybe they just say, hey, let's put some breaks on it and let Biff handle it right now.

Let's get through this recruiting. Let's get through this transfer portal. Let's give him the season because, listen, nobody thought James Franklin was going to be available, right? Right. Nobody thought Brian Kelly was going to be available. Things changed so rapidly in college football. Maybe just let Biff handle it and see how things play out in the coming, you know, whatever it is.

I agree with you, though, especially in this day and age where now you get rid of Biff POG and now there's a new coach coming in that you might have to settle for. This is all about damage control right now. Michigan doesn't settle, man. Michigan should not settle for a head coach. And coach said that he got information that these kids are staying together, that they're focused, that they want to be at Michigan. So why not have a Michigan man lead them instead of settling for a coach that you don't want? Kick the can down the road.

Let a Michigan man continue. Someone who's been there who's been a part of this championship that was two years ago, who's been a part of, you know, Michigan and knows what Michigan is about. Why not have him stay there and keep this thing kind of tightened together and continue to grow it until you find the exact candidate that you do want? You know what, though, Mark? We might know who that exact candidate is, and he's right under our nose. Dave Portnoy.

Portnoy! Dave, you want the gig? Dave Portnoy, the new head coach of the Wolverines. And Charles Woodson and, yeah, Charles Wilson. CW.S.D.C. Can you imagine Portnoy running down the ramp through the tunnel, trying to jump up and hit the flag, doing his thing? Portnoy head coach. Oh, that would be a trip.

Charles Winston, D.C., our boy, David Gardner, O.C. And then Portnoy, Portnoy still owes me a thousand bucks, I know that. He does. Portnard always coached a thousand bucks for the N.I.L. For the Go Bucks, N.I.O. There it is. There it is. Dave Portnoy, congratulations. You're the new head coach at the University of Michigan.

Coming up next, Mark dumps his final deuce-de-dose dog of the week of the regular season. And we talk about a quarterback who did not. in the high school. Light it. Welcome back to the triple option. Mark, you know what time it is? Let's go. We got to let's go because it is time for the deuce-duce dog of the week.

Hey, man. Where we go? We go to Baltimore with this? Yes, you know I'm going to Baltimore. We're going to America's game. We go on Army v. Navy, one-point game. And I've got to go with the Navy quarterback, Blake Horvath. The stats aren't electric, but it's game full of dogs.

He is the dog of dogs in this week for the deuce, deuce dog of the week. 7 to 14, 82 yards, but he also had 34 carries for 107 yards and another touchdown in a one-point victory for the commander-in-chief trophy is back in Navy again for back-to-back seasons. Blake Horvath, the dog of the week, the Naval Academy, holding it down or a dog of the week

clutch but coach was in the locker room coach Jeff Monkin you was in a locker room tell us what tell us about it man yeah

Nike also they redo their locker room every year and it was 250 250 year celebration of our country and Jeff Monk has been a friend of mine

we went back to 1990 we've been friends so that's how many years and I saw his wife on the sideline and this is this is their version, and you could probably say the second or third, you know, probably the Iron Bowl's second,

and then this one's maybe third, or some people, this is the number one rivalry in the game. And the intensity, the nervousness. I was actually with him for a walkthrough, Mark and Rob the night before, but they put everything into the game. Navy took the ball right down and scored. I thought we're in trouble. I'm an Army guy because of my father, and they fought their way back. I thought they won, and they had the ball in their hand twice at the end of the game. know, Horvath, the quarterback, fumbled the ball on the one-yard line.

One-yard line, Army had the ball in her hand. That's a game-set match if they recover it. Instead of falling on, they try to advance it, and Navy got it back and threw a touchdown pass. I don't want to say an eight-yard touchdown pat. Right in front of me. I was standing right in the end zone. And on fourth down, too, by the way. On fourth and eight.

And then they had another turnover at the end of the game. And it was called. He recovered. it. Yeah, the correct call. No, it was a correct call. The quarterback was down. Yeah, he fumbled it, recovered it, and instead it for the first down. I know we do the triple option there, boys. You have to someday join me on the sideline for that game. It makes your heart warm. The best part of the game is the March on, they call it. And that's all the cadets and midshipmen, the entire student body of the elite of the elite march on the field.

I tear up every time I see it. They had helicopters going over. They had fighter jets going over, and they had the President of the United States there, all the dignitaries. It was a day for our country, but it was a great football. And I'm at this, Newberry, the coach of Navy, and the coach at Army Munkin, I'm biased. Those are two excellent coaches. And this was two really, really good teams playing each other. Well, if you tell us that you having all that access, I'll definitely be there next year. You know what I mean?

But also, coach, I got to show you love, man, because not only are you a pie, not only are you a college football Hall of Famer, not only are you a college football analyst, but now you are an influencer. That video you took at the game with all the, that video you took going around the stadium, everybody was turned up and down, jumping up and down.

I mean, like, you was talking about atmosphere. That looked like an amazing atmosphere, coach. So shout out to the influencer, college football hall of famer, college football analyst, podcaster, the hell is happening to you, coach. This man is the Jack Altraise. If you can't beat him,

knowing him, man. He is the one and only Urban Meyer. Influencer. Coach doesn't even know how to turn on his camera. You kidding me? He was trying to send a text. And next thing you know, there's a video coming out at us. Hey, it was a good video, though. He tricked the hell out of me. Shoot.

That was the fresh take of the week, presented by Wendy's, joined Team Tendies, and enjoy a lineup like never before. Crispy, juicy Tendies, now at Wendy's. I'll be honest. I hadn't watched a whole lot. of Army Navy games in the past just because travel or work commitments and it just wasn't in front of my face. But this Saturday, I made a commitment to it and sat down it. Man, that was, it was really entertaining. To your point, coach, the pomp and circumstance, the passion, these are just these student athletes that are there to defend your honor to defend your country, the people in the stands

that care so much about the red, white, and blue, an amazing spectacle. And I hope it remains that, I hope it can stay as the game of that second Saturday in December. But if there's playoff expansion, that game gets jeopardized. You know, the fact that they're in the same conference right now and it doesn't count as a conference game. That's a nuance to it. And I think Army Navy has enough muscle and enough power that they might be able to navigate some of it for some stretch. But I don't know how much longer Army Navy is going to be the way that you saw on Saturday coach. I saw New Heisel and Aaron Taylor, you know, the CBS crew.

And then Gary Danielson and they do a great job. And I went over to him. I said, man, I've been pushing Fox somehow get this damn game. And they're like, we ain't giving this thing up. Yeah. Don't give them inside information, coach. They need to do a flank around the back. Yeah.

And it's a second time in my lifetime I've ever tailgated. Wow. I tailgated at Army Navy with my friends, Josh Payton, from a veteran golf association. Did you have that Los Lenderos out there? No, I just had a little chili. I didn't have any refreshments. I was going to meet in generals and everything else.

I said, no, I'm good. Coach, tailgating, man. It's not just a bowl of chili. Like, there's got to be some refreshments. You didn't tailgate, coach. Yeah, you didn't tellgate. For coach, he tailgated. Coach, did you jump off a minivan into a table that's on fire?

If you didn't, you didn't tailgate. Oh, that's Bill's tailgate tonight. That's Bill's tailgate. How much what I loved, I would pay a lot of money. Coach, by the way, that's what you should do for charity. Put up Urban Meyer tailgates at a Buffalo game, and you come into a flying elbow into a table that's on fire. That'll raise a lot of money.

That'll raise a lot of money. All right. Time to pivot. Yeah, yeah. Time now to sound off. Oh, it's a good one this week. Vanderbilt quarterback, Mark Ingram favorite, Diego Pavia, came second to Indiana's Fernando Mendoza in the Heism race.

By the way, congratulations, Fernando. What a hell of a season. And I know you got my number one vote. And I'm proud that I voted you number one. And you deserved it, my friend. Diego Pavia finished second. Got 189 first place votes. Mendoza 643.

So this race really wasn't as close as people were talking about. But what made the headlines afterwards is how Pavia reacted to not winning the Heisman. So there you go. Take that to the voters, right? But apparently he wasn't done. When he was out in New York, had another sign with the Indiana contingent in mind. Ouch.

Yeah. So. So he did post an apology to his credit. But Mark, it feels like some of the damage was done already. And I'm not sure much of that can come back. Listen, instead of giving the love to somebody who's ungrateful for the opportunity to go to the Heisman, I just want to go back to what you said, Stoner. Fernando Mendoza, an amazing year and an amazing speech, you can see the gratefulness, you can see the humbleness, you can see the gratitude to be there. He paid homage to his mother.

He paid homage to his teammates. The speech was just very articulate. It was very heartwarming, and it was good to see someone of high character. win that award or hoist that trophy because not only is the Heisman trophy about elite athletic ability. It is also about being an elite human being

and I think the right guy won the trophy but with that being said, going back to what you showed us F all the voters is crazy when 186 people had you for 189 people had you first on the ballot so maybe you should have said F 643 voters

not all of them I was one of them And he was after, you were another one. I was one of them, too, because Fernando was the first. So he, he Fed you guy. He Fed you guys. Yeah, he Fed me and that's fine. That's fine.

Because guess what? My trophy's sitting right there. So I don't give a damn who you F. You know what I mean? But at the end of the day, man, he's just showing an apology stone. That wasn't his apology. Some PR team. Somebody got to him.

You know, he told us how he felt. He said F all the voters. He told us how his vet how he felt in the, video at the club, like F Indiana. You know what I mean? That's a straight shot of Mendoza. Like, you know what I mean? Like, be, be humble, be grateful and defeat. Just congratulate the people who earned it. Fernando Mendoza did earn it. Jeremiah Love did earn it. All you guys earned up the opportunity to be there. You should celebrate that. Be humbled by it. Be grateful for it. That's not the way that you present yourself or your university or your family in that

manner. So, uh, whatever, man. Very un Vanderbilt like, right? You know, if he had another season, Clark Lee definitely would have taken him by the ear, right? And like, come here. What are you doing? Isn't he fighting for another season? We can't have this. Who knows? He might play another season. With, with his, with his background and what he's doing, who knows.

But as of now, he is declared for the NFL. It'll be very interesting to see how NFL offices react to that, right? Good luck. Declaring for the NFL, dude. Well, there's part of me that does love that fight and that. attitude and hey it's it's me and my brothers and that's it and everybody else screw you right that wasn't the moment for it um and i wonder how that's going to play in in those interviews you know with scouts and gms and head coaches but let let's go back to mendoza guys i have a good little story for you uh went to a holiday party last night and um i'm real good friends with this one

family and she came up to me she doesn't really watch college football but she did see Mendoza's speech after winning the Heisman, and she goes, Rob, she goes, I went on the computer and I googled, does Fernando Mendoza have a girlfriend? Because I really want to set him up with my daughter. And I was like, I just love that. Like, she has a super Ivy educated daughter. And she's like, that boy is welcome in my household, right? For my daughter. That boy can please date my daughter.

That was when I was coaching Tebow, I'd get those every week, hundreds of them. hundreds of them, and one was Shelly. Well, Tim Tebow date one of our daughters. Not wrong. I'll tell you what, Mendoza was on a triple option, and you guys, that was one of the greatest interviews we had.

I watched the highlight of the acceptance speech, and I'll tell you what, there's a, that's good for our sport, that's good for Indiana, and obviously the Mendoza family, and for the NFL, I mean, he proved, me wrong. I kind of thought he needed another

year. He's ready to go. He's ready to go play. I don't know if he does anything great. I mean, like elite, elite, but he's great at everything. The ball comes out fast. He's got good size. He's mobile enough to get out of the trouble. But when

you cut him open and you listen to him speak, his intellect, his toughness, and his competitive spirit. Remember, on the road at Oregon, on the road at Penn State and a two-minute drill, one of the best I've ever seen and then to go be the team that's more talented

to them in the Big Ten Championship. Heisman Trophy winner and the best season in IU, one of the best, I think, best turnaround is in college football history. Mendoza, I wonder how he's going to look at that New York Jet Green next year.

I don't even want that for my guy. I don't even want that for my guy. Why do that to him? Why punish him? Well, I do love Aaron Glenn head coach of the Jets. For sure. I do love Chris Banjo, the special teams

coordinator for the Jets coach are two of my guys, but just the Jets overall as organization has not been great as of late. So I don't prefer that for him. No, no. We only want the best for Fernando.

And we want him to date lovely ladies as well. All right. Tell us what you think about Fernando Mendoza, Diego Pavia's reaction to getting snubbed with the Heisman in the comment section,

the question said, wherever you want to put it. Coming up next on the triple option presented by Wendy's news from Utah as a legend steps away, and we hit the playoff games coming your way this weekend. Welcome back to the triple option presented by Wendy's, Urban Meyer, Mark Ingram the second, Rob Stone back here with you. Time now for Crossroads, presented by NHTSA,

whether you get pulled over or get into a crash. Drinking and driving will change your whole world. Drive sober or get pulled over paid for by NHTSA. Love that message, particularly here during the holiday season, folks. Be careful. Get somebody else to take you home, right? How about the crossroads at the Utah football program is at right now? After 21 highly successful seasons, Kyle Whittingham retired on Friday,

winning his head coach and program history with 177 W's coach. He won at least 10 games eight times, had 18 winning seasons, three conference titles. He was consistency epitomized, and I love everything that he did for Utah, and I know the love I have for him isn't even close to the love that you have for him. Yeah, I hired Kyle when I was hired. You know, it was really unique because he was the acting, or he was interviewed for the head coaching job, and I had no intention of keeping him, and I met him, and they were awesome.

They were really good on defense for years, and I was like, what am I nuts? And I kept him. We became as close as I've ever been with a coach. he's that good he's arguably the best coach ever been around and so you said that crossroad I would disagree with that

it's the smoothest transition you know it's a little bit like what Bob Stoops did at Oklahoma when I did at Ohio State with Ryan Day there's still that that train is still going at 100 miles an hour

Morgan Scalley played for me All-American Safety has been one of the best defense coordinators in the land for a long time and he's the coaching waiting so that's they're marked there could not be a smoother transition they won 10 games this year are going to go to a good bowl game Utah took Kyle Whittingham all I want to know is we're going to put their stat put a statue and what he's done for that not only be not only Utah

for the state of Utah he he's put them square on the map that they're every year the the TV cameras and the the whether it be Big Noon or or other channels are going there to showcase that great school and that great state. So Kyle Woodenheim deserves it, and the recognitions all deserves one of the best ever been around. Did he drive into work on that Harley, or did he just save that for the offseason?

I think that was after, that was post-mire when he started at the time. Post-Moyer. I'll tell you what, though. I beat him in a race one time. Oh, here we go again, Mark. How many times have we heard this story? He's a hell out of me in tennis.

I look at that guy. He looks like he's 40 years old. Yeah, he does. He's a great dude. He looks stronger than awesome. He's a great. Do they do. Amen. Coach, you talk about that statute. Like, that's granite of granite, right? I mean, that is going to be a jacked up, I mean, coach has got forearms now, right?

Forearms and arms and chest and torso. Like, he is, he's a man's man. I'm all in favor for him, man. I'm excited for him to enjoy some well-deserved time off as well. Time now for a two-minute drill, brought to you by Fandul. Visit fandul.com slash triple option to download the app and take advantage of a 50. 50% profit boost today. First round of college football playoffs begin on Friday. We're not going to pick that game. We're going to pick the three Saturday games. And we're going to save Alabama at Oklahoma for Friday, where we will be live. Live.

Live from Norman, Oklahoma at Campus Corner, a live edition of the triple option at 430 Central Time. Scheduled to appear, coach. He's got to appear. Bob Stoop. He's the best. There's a reason I'm getting in Thursday, and it's to spend time Thursday night at the Stoop's Castle. Oh, my goodness.

Friday could get a little hazy. We'll see how Thursday goes. But, yeah, Coach Stoop, scheduled to join us live at Campus Corner 430 Central Friday before Oklahoma host to Alabama. All right, so let's talk about the three other first round games. Again, all of these are on campus. Coach, your first. Number 12C, James Madison at 5.6.

Oregon. Ducks favored 21 and a half points over under 50 and a half. Before I pick, I got a couple of thoughts on that. I coached a bowling green and I coached at Utah. And we were the first, Utah was the first non-BCS team to play a BCS bowl. And people hammered us about that. I remember Trevor Alberts was, I believe, on ESPN and made some really harsh comments about, and I went after him a little bit and said, you know, you don't understand, you know, the players we have come, and I offer to buy him a ticket to come watch practice. It's how, buy your ticket and come watch us, and then you tell me if we don't belong.

And obviously, we finished number, I think, number three in the country that year, so we did belong. James Madison, I just, I think, I think this whole thing's got to be, it's, everything's good, everything's really good, the interest, the playoff, there's got to be a couple reboots here. And a reboot, to me, would be, I would mandate that a James Madison, or a non-power-four, you have to play three programs in the top 50, or you can't be, you know, win your conference and win whatever,

but you can't be considered. And that would tell the ADs and all that, then, you know, because you have to be judged on that. You can't be judged on the other games. You just can. And I'm not disrespecting. I coached in the Mac conference. It's awesome.

I mean, my God, there's first rounders in those conferences. However, you're telling the fighting Irish to sit home and James Madison's going. And some people, whether it's right or, I didn't want to say right or on or deserving or not, the better team's supposed to be in the game. That's it. That's it. So if you're telling me James Madison and Vegas comes out and said, well, James Madison would be Notre Dame, then they made the right choice.

If not, then it's not the right choice. Coach, I get your point, but But what? I don't know how you... Don't say but. No, I will. I will say but. You understand it in a second.

Because you want to put... And again, I know this is just a brief idea and you haven't laid out the whole thesis for it. I understand that. But to say, like, they have to schedule a top 50 team. So what is a top 50 team? Like, are we talking preseason? Because a lot of times you'd say, Oklahoma State.

We scheduled Oklahoma State. Good on us. But Oklahoma State's not a top 50. team right now. That should count. That should count. Okay. So that's what I'm saying just like that clarification. But you have to, but they don't. They don't schedule one. Agreed. Agreed. The other problem, the other pushback might be those programs don't want to schedule a James Madison or a Tulane because they're just good enough that they could screw it up for them. Right. And that's a pay game. Right. Like you're you're paying Tulane. You're paying James Madison to come. You're like, wait a second. Do we want to bring in a good team?

that's really going to push us. I get it. And I think the big boys, the big dogs, as you say, right, the big dogs need to play as well. Like, okay, if you want one of these spots, we have to sacrifice one of our Saturdays to take you on so you can prove that you belong or we can prove that you're not good enough. And then the Notre Dame's going to be in 45 to 10 earlier this year. You got ahead of me. I'm going to talk about that in a second.

Okay, well, bad. All right, coach, we digress. Let me give you the score or my feelings on that. I think you're going to run into a buzzsaw in Ottson. I think you've got a bunch of players in Oregon that, you know, they're kind of used to winning the big. They won the Big Ten last year. So I think, and I know that coach.

A hundred and nothing, coach? I'm not saying a Hyundai, but I'm saying this could be a tough go for the boys and James Man. And I don't want to disrespect James Maness because they had a great year. They had a great year. They have an excellent coach. but I'm saying that I think it's minus 21 and a half is the spread that's the line I'm saying that's going to be that's going to be a 30 burger I'm betting that's going to be a 30 burger I don't think people are giving Oregon enough credit right now you know like Don't take more

top teams they could win it I agree 21 and a half is the line yeah I'm betting and the winner they're covering that the winner gets Texas Tech 100 a lot a lot of a no not it's not going to be under nothing. It's not going to be under nothing. Listen, Oregon's got a lot of questions at Whiteout with the health as well, but Sadiq at tight end has been, you know, he's been the best tight end in the big tent. Three running backs. Tighten of the year. Yeah, I agreed, agreed. People are not talking enough about Oregon. And I'm going to say, two words, odds in stadium. Yeah, enough said, enough said. All right, so coach likes the ducks. Makes sense. All right, I have number 22 lane at number six Ole Miss. Uh, the revs favored by 17 and a half.

over under 56 and a half mark. As you mentioned, a rematch of a September meeting in Oxford. Old Miss won it comfortably 45-10. The quarterback Trinidad Chambliss had himself a day, 419 total yards, and two touchdowns. That, though, was with Lane Kiffin as the head coach. We all know Lane is in Baton Rouge right now. So former defensive coordinator Pete Golding was handed the keys, like instantaneously, like right away to try and keep coaches, try and keep players as they go to their first ever playoff game.

I did some research on Coach Golding, spent time coaching at Delta State, southeastern Louisiana, Southern Miss, UTSA, Alabama, Mark. He was on their staff when they won the 2020 national title. Last three seasons, Coach Golding was the D.C. at Ole Miss. You know what's missing from his resume, though, coach? At the coaching experience. None. None.

So he makes his head coaching debut in arguably the most anticipated game in the history of Oxford, right? So how is he going to handle that moment? How are his players going to handle this transition? Tons of distractions out there, right? And they've been going on for a while. But I feel like there's this chance to win each over, win each group over. Like Coach Golding has the opportunity to win his players over. The players have the opportunity to win Coach Golding over.

I see this as a unification type moment. Like, let's rally together. Let's do this. It's a perfect tune-up for what will be Georgia in the quarterfinals in New Orleans at the Sugar Bowl. So I like Ole Miss to cover guys and play with, I'm going to call it an excitable edge. I think Ole Miss, their story is far from being written. All right, Mark, a good one. Number 10, Miami heads down to Texas A&M.

The Aggies, they are your seven seed. Favorite, though, by only three and a half, over under is 51 and a half. Listen, man, this, y'all was talking about them games and Rudy Poo's. Let's talk some real football. This is a real. Rudy Pooze, the Rootie Pooke candy. No, but no, now we got some real football. A&M, Miami, guess what?

Miami's first time in the playoff. A&M's first time in the playoff at Kyle Field. We know how Kyle Field is. You talk about Austin earlier, Coach. Kyle Field is another one of those venues. You got two of the best pass rushing teams in the country going head to head. Miami leads the ACC in SACs. A&M leads the nation in Sacks.

In addition to two of the nation's best individual pass rushers going against each other. You got Ruben Bain joint. You got Ruben Bain down there in Miami. one of the top-graded prospects in the NFL draft going against Texas A&M's Cash is Howe, 11 and a half sacks on the season. So both of these D-lines correct the game. So I think a lot is going to come down to how these quarterbacks manage the pressure. Now, you know Marcel Reed, his ability to be able to run the ball with his legs, electric

with his legs. That would be paramount in this game going against Miami's rushing attack. I mean, Miami's past rushing attack. But then you got Carson Beck. How do they do that? Quick passing game. What Carson Becker? we're going to see, right?

Like Carson Beck thrown it to Aggies. It was, is Carson Beck A player or Carson Beck B play? If this Carson Beck B, they lose. Carson Beck B, they lose and get thawked. But what Carson Beck has going for him is Malachi Tony.

Baby Jesus. You get the quick pass a game to him. He's had back-to-back games over 10 receptions, over 100 yards. Mark Fletcher Jr., running the football. That'll be paramount. Get on schedule. Get positive plays on first and second down, because if you get the third and long, Texas A&N their defense is good at getting off the field

on third down. Their defense is great at rushing the passer. So in this game, we know the pass rush will be a paramount. We know being able to stay ahead of the chances to be a pair of night with great pass rushers. I think in this game, I think the difference is Marcel's Reed's ability to use his

legs, electric in the run game, electric scrambling, electric with all schedule plays, him throwing the ball down the field to Mario Craver, him throwing a ball down the field to Casey Concepcion. They got some dogs now, I'm telling you. They're running back. Rube Oins is the second.

He's there leading rusher. We've got some questions. Labion Moss. Will he be available? That's their number one back. He's been hurt with an ankle injury all year long. Possible to be available? Maybe, maybe not.

We'll see. That could be a big boost for them. But I think A&M at Kyle Field, I think three and a half is a little too much. I think it's going to be a one, two, three point game. at Kyle Field, I think it's going to be a close game, but I got the Aggies winning. I think it's all Carson back, Mark. Yeah. I think it is to handle that atmosphere and to handle that pass rush.

The pass rush. Yep. A&M is good at two things on defense. They're good at rushing the passer. They're good at getting off the field on third down because of they had that pass rush. But their defense, let me tell you this, Coach. They've allowed 28 points per game and 175 rush yards per game in the last five games against FBS opponents. So they is some rough stuff to be had.

Let me add this about Carson Beck, Rob, Mark. I think this will be the most important game that this quarterback, Carson Beck, has ever played. 100%. Because now he's got to prove to the NFL scouts he can handle. Because he's been up and down. I mean, the talent's there. But this, I'm telling you, that every NFL scout and Gen GM is watching this game to see if he can really be an NFL quarterback. Because he's facing an NFL defense.

So that game's on Saturday. We want to remind you on Friday. We got a lot going on. A, if you're an Alabama fan like Mark Ingram. Mark Ingram. Roll damn tight. And also, if you're in Oklahoma... If you don't give a piss about nothing but to tie,

I better see you in Norman, Oklahoma at the live triple option podcast show. I can't wait to see that. Yeah, that's going to be at Campus Corner. The address 746 ASP Avenue, the ultimate tailgate. So if you're a Bama fan, like Mark, if you're a band a fan, If you're an Oklahoma fan, you're going to want to be showing up to. Bring your energy. Bring your booze.

For sure. There's going to be music, food, drinks. There's also an episode of The Dynasty, right, the Alabama podcast with A.J. McCarran and Trent Richardson. There you come on. And then we follow them with a live episode of the Triple Option scheduled to appear. Our dear friend, the Hall of Famer, Bob Stoops. It all starts at 3 p.m. Central. We take the stage at 4.30 Central, Campus Corner.

746 ASP Avenue in Norman. Please follow, subscribe, rate us on YouTube, Apple, podcast, Spotify, wherever you get your podcast. We're on social media at 3X option show. We love your feedback. We strive to have your comments and questions put in on our show. So give us the material. As always, thank you to our wonderful sponsors.

Wendy's Fandual, USAA, NHTSA, and Google. Hope to see you Friday in Norman. I'm going to tell you this, Dawn. My son, you talk about Wendy's, my son. All he's been asking for for the last two, three weeks is a Frosty. This man wants this is a Frosty. Can we go get it Frosty? Go get him a Frosty right now.

We're done. So Wendy's, go ahead, send him gift cards. I need it. There you go. Throwing some tendies while you're at it, Mark. I love me some tendies. You know what I mean.