The Triple Option - Notre Dame-USC Paused, Texas Tech's Joey McGuire Joins, CFP Roster Construction, & Quarterfinal Picks

Episode Date: December 29, 2025

When your coach has the Batmobile, that has to count for something, right? Urban Meyer, Mark Ingram II, and Rob Stone break down the construction of the playoff teams rosters and discuss the new age of roster building. Championships are no longer won on high school signing day. We don't play favorites, but we make an exception for Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire as he joins to guys ahead of their matchup with #5 Oregon. He discusses the team mentality, how he motivates this group and the allegations that they bought a Big 12 Championship. We then hit the headlines with news of Ryan Day taking over playcalling for the Buckeyes in the Playoff and Notre Dame-USC getting put on pause. Spoiler alert, it's not good for anyone. The guys then make their final CFP Quarterfinal picks of Oregon-Texas Tech and Georgia-Ole Miss. Chapters 01:58 Any Given Saturday - Roster Construction 13:20 Joey McGuire, Texas Tech Head Coach 33:56 Ryan Day Takes over OSU playcalling 35:46 Notre Dame and USC Pause 42:05 Georgia-Ole Miss Preview 46:42 Texas Tech-Oregon Preview 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 FanDuel – Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Fanduel.com/TripleOption⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to download the app and take advantage of a 50% Profit Boost today! 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 #Alabama #TexasTech #RedRaiders #NotreDame #USC #Rivalry #OhioState #RyanDay #Indiana Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I'm going to be there at the Orange Bowl coach, so I'm going to be checking y'all out. You know, y'all, the stadium, about 30 minutes south, I'm going to come check y'all out with my son. Come on, man. Awesome. How old is he? Oh, he's seven. He's seven. So, you know, hopefully in 10 years, you know what I mean?

You're still doing your thing, and I'm going to have one ready for you. Hey, he might have an offer before he leaves the Orange Bowl. Let's go. First offer, Red Raiders. Let's go. 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. Holiday edition of The Triple Option, presented by Wendy's, Rob Stone, Mark Ingram, the second.

Doose-Duce, the Hall of Famer Urban Meyer back here with you. That's right. It was a little bit back. About a week ago, week ago. Do you have a good birthday, by the way? Was it nice? I had a blessed birthday. It's a tough one.

during the holidays but you crushed it oh no it's a great one because we just 30 what 30 is six the big 30 is six hey and i just had a whole bunch of love i had my wife i had my kids i had my mom i had my sister we was eating good i was getting hugs and kisses i was getting lost leros oh i had some of that los lenders on the hocks i actually went looking for los linderos uh yesterday coach at my no no but I put it, I filed a complaint. Hey, I know a guy. I know a guy. What does a guy got to do? Right. All right. Hey, thanks for joining us on the triple option. Rate, subscribe over at Apple Podcast, Spotify, wherever you find your podcast. We're on social media at 3X option show. New episodes on YouTube on Wednesdays, typically, or wherever it is, you find your podcast. Leave those questions. Leave those comments. We love to respond to them. Let's get right to it, man. Time for any given. Saturday. And the quarterfinals are here. They are upon us, finally. A little interesting conversation to start things off with. Our friends at 24-7 sports, they have a team composite for each playoff team based on the number of five, four, and three-star recruits on their team.

If you just look at that, Georgia, Bama, Ohio State, Oregon, I think as you would expect, would be your top four teams. Texas Tech, again, of the 12 teams that started the playoffs, sit there at number nine. Indiana sitting there at number 11. Coach, you know all about building rosters. In the old days, it was, you know, it was finding those five-star guys and those four-star guys. Now it's portal dudes who maybe were three-star guys. The development of your program has certainly tilted a little bit. Do you think it's in a place where it's going to stay this way or do you still see some more altering going on with roster makeups? I think it's very fluid, but Mark, I it's exactly the opposite of what I thought the whole NIL and transfer portal would have.

I thought Rich would get richer. That's not the case at all. There's never been more parity in the game. And I was asking people, you know, we're involved in the game. Why? And it's because when I recruited Mark Ingram, it would be number one chance to get you in NFL, number two, win a championship, and number three in elite education, life after football. He didn't recruit me.

Coaching points. What's that? He didn't recruit me. Should have recruited you. Not the first one I missed on, but now it's not that way at all, Rob. And now it's, you know, why would a kid, why would a player pick this school because they're going to pay them more? Why would a third stream player leave in Alabama,

leave in Ohio State, leave a Florida, and go become a star somewhere else because there's opportunity and you can do it very fluidy. I mean, very fluidly. You can change school. So I think it's awesome for our sport. You know, parity is what people want to watch. I just hope the non-conference scheduling. Someone fixes that because these teams got to play each other.

But I think it's great. And you're going to continue. I hate to say this because it sounds dirty to say it. The richest programs are going to get richer. If you can find a billionaire, you better go get that billionaire. And that's what people are doing, which I like. Well, Dillingham literally said that with his extension at Arizona State, right? like the comment that got all the traction was find me find me some rich billionaire in the greater

Phoenix area and and let's tap into that and let's get Arizona State up to the to the Texas techs of the world in the big 12th facts yeah that's that's what it is now like yeah you have your your blue bloods but now if you have a passionate fan base you have a passionate donorship program you have a chance to reconstruct your roster to be a powerhouse that can contend for a national title. You talked about Texas Tech. You talked about

you know, what Indiana's doing now. You know, they re-signed Kurt Signetti. He got the resources for his coach staff. They've re-signed him twice. Yes. But what did he want? Most importantly, resources for his coaching staff. Correct. And resources

to build his roster. So if you get a passionate fan base, you get a supportive Donorship program, you have a chance to change the trajectory of your program. And it used to be like a recruit like me. I'm going there. I'm like, how can this university prepare me to be the best football player I could be? How can this university prepare me to be the best human being I could be? What type of connections will I be able to develop through my time here at this university?

What kind of facilities do they have? What kind of meal prep do they have? Like, you're looking at all these things, and that will persuade you what university. to go to. Now, it's basically about what is this bottom line going to be? You know what I mean? Am I going to have an opportunity to play? Okay, but what's this bottom line going to be? Because over here, I have opportunity to play and this bottom line is up here. But right here, I have opportunity to play, but your bottom line is down here. So right now, unless you get your bottom line up, I'm going to go over there. Also, the conversation back then, I hate saying back

then, but that's the reality, was, hey, you're going to be with me. And I'm going to be with you for three, four years, maybe five, invested in you. That was ingrained. There was no wiggle room on that one unless you just wanted to sit out a year. Right. Yeah, you want to go sit out. And now, this is so transactional. You know, this is, I think, coach, you would look at every single player coming in as a one and done, right? You're a one and done. And then I got to re-recruit you. I got to see how it works for you. Did I do you right? Did you do me right? And off we go. Yeah, think about this too, Rob. Is that back in, and I'm going to go back now.

It's going to date myself a little bit. When you recruited, you recruited the mother father, the high school coach and the position coach and the head coach. And that was about sometimes third uncle? Now there's third uncles everywhere. Now there's agents. Now there's money management teams. There's all these people

telling you you can go do this, do this, do this. So it's just, you've got to adapt and the teams that adapt win. So I don't like when I start hearing a billionaire world that that's going to impact that's not right at the end of the day if someone says that's right no it's not right but i'm telling you for the good of the sport right now parody has never been better and that's great for you know that's great for uh the sport we love the parody but is billionaire

or you got teams that are doing private equity deals now like how about that you talk selling their yeah yeah you you go get a private equity deal now you're really just kicking the can down the road and selling your everything, just whoever. But that's the business we're in right now, man. And it is what it is, right? That's like such a great quote. It just covers a lot of things, but it is what it is. And until that river stops flowing,

you've got to jump on that raft and go with it, right? Mark, you brought up Indiana. I just want to finish with the Hoosiers real quick. This is stats, the makeup of the Hoosiers right now. Percent of starts from recruits, okay? 34.6 percent of starts from transfers 65.4. All right. So obviously, you know, listen, we know Coach Signetti had to come in and transform things in Bloomington. So it's back-to-back years where it's heavy transfer, right? I wouldn't be surprised if I see that number next year get

closer to 50-50. And it wouldn't surprise me at all two years down. It's going to be that 65% is recruits, and that 35 is transfers. But again, that's where Indiana is, what they had to do to make this mark. And then Signetti has an eye. Like, he knows who his guys are. I just think this whole model is going to softly change a little bit,

but the portal is still going to be an absolutely necessary and vital factor. You have to get the right players in your program at the transfer portal. First and foremost. That's what Cursonetti has done a great job, He's gotten the right players with the right talent and the right character traits to go ahead and impact this program with with with the current players that he's recruiting Everyone says oh Indiana doesn't have the talent the talent is on the way and that's when you will start to see those numbers flip in two or three years from being 65% transfer to 65 70%

Recruit and 30% transfer it's on the way Indiana is is going to be something to be reckoned with for the next however long cursing daddy stays there I just want to add this about because sometimes you get carried away with I know our friend at Texas Tech, Joey McGuire, is that, and he made the point, okay, people are buying players, okay, that's great, but you have to coach them. And that's where Signetti, that's where you can really, I mean, and this is where sometimes you have a two-to-three-year window to develop people. These coaches got to put acceleration on that. Some of these cats are walking your door in June, Mark, a transfer portal.

You've got a two-month window now to get that cat ready to play. And I've talked to colleagues about the urgency, and here's a difference too, Mark. You can coach these kids all summer. Do you know that? Yeah. Back in the day, Mark, we were about to even talk to you. Coaches couldn't even be on the field. Those players running the 7-0-7s and the workouts and stuff like that or a strength coach.

And you guys have all seen how money can change a human, much less a player, right? So you're throwing money at these kids. You got to make sure they can handle that money. Yeah, an 18-year-old, 17. That is big, big-time money. That was your 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.

Coach, you hit on them. Coming up next, we're joined by a triple option frequent flyer. The head coach at Texas Tech, our good friend, Joey McGuire. Welcome back to the triple option, Rob Stone, Mark Ingram. second urban mire we are joined now by one of our favorites the head coach of the texas tech red raiders get those get those fingers and those guns up there joey mcguire hey coach happy holidays thanks again for joining us on the triple option man thanks for having me i hope y'all have a uh get a chance to be with your families in this time this by week has allowed us or these by has allowed us to

we're going to let our kids go home for christmas and they're fired up coach uh good to see you my friend, and your ears might have been burning from Norman, Oklahoma. I'm sitting there with legendary Bob Stoops, and we probably talked about you for 15 minutes. And back in the day when we both recruited your high school, and here you are. Let's just a quick review. 2016, you're the high school coach at Cedar Hill, and then you went on to Baylor as an assistant. And then the paycheck changed a little bit. And you went to Texas Tech. So big fan, and congrats. You know, you haven't played. played in 25 days when you play this game. And I've been there. I had my thoughts on how to do it,

but this is about me. I want to hear your thoughts. And how do you, you guys are playing at a high level. How do you keep that? I was so paranoid about losing that edge. How have you tried to keep the edge? Yeah, I am too. You know, at the end of practice yesterday, I told them, I said, guys, y'all got to make me right. Like, you know, we're a, we have a bunch of grown men in this building and um you know we we made a big deal about this by as far as going out and beating b yu and getting the buy because we were banged up we had a lot of guys playing i always call it football banged up because you know you're going to you're not going to be 100% after the first day of of camp you know from then on you're going to you know you're something's going to be

a little banged up and and so you know that first week uh we ran and lifted it was also final week So that was a little easier to do. And then all last week, we put the pads back on. So we went five days straight. We gave them Saturday off. And then we were back in pads yesterday. And so we'll be in pads today. We've really tried to, you know, focus and be smart with the practices,

but, you know, really be intense and get after each other. I want to, I want to, before I hand it off. So when you say pads, I think it's important to, you have. have to keep speed on speed. Were you able to go do some ones on ones because that's another concern. Also, you get in that damn game, and you're shocked at the speed because scout team's not

the same as going ones-on-ones, especially at your place. Yeah, we've, so, you know, we do it. It's not on the, it's not on the script. So we've been doing sudden change. They don't know when it's coming, but we've been going good on good. You know, we yesterday, we were going into a special teams period. And, you know, I blew it and just put the ball down and said, you know, good on good, ones on ones.

You know, I don't, I don't want, with that stuff, I don't, I kind of don't want to know it's coming, you know, just kind of shock to a system of almost like a sudden change in a game. And so we've been doing that. All right, coach, man, we appreciate you being here. I'm big on the rare raters. I'm a big Texas tech guy in this playoff. One of the reasons that we know your defense has been great.

But this offense, man, I say that you all can give it to them how you want it. You can run the football. You could throw it outside the numbers. You could throw it vertically. What have you seen with the growth of this offense from week one? You know, the biggest thing is at the running back position. You know, we had two, well, we felt great about a room. We had three really strong running backs, and then we lose Quentin Joyner right before the season.

So we had two true sophomores that had to really step up. And, man, they have done an absolutely incredible job. They do a great job. Yeah, man. And they run the ball at a high level, but the thing that they're so tough is they catch the ball out of the back in such a high level. And they're mismatches for linebackers. And we've had some huge plays on the offensive side of the ball throwing them the football. I think that's the biggest thing that people miss is you've got two young running backs that are playing at really, really high level with Cam Dickey and Jacoby Williams.

Yeah, they're playing. there's some Bs. There's some R.Bs for show. Yes. Let's talk about the life of Coach McGuire and your players that I think the listener, I'm pretty positive. I don't really understand this. But for almost 40 years, you know, I never really had a Thanksgiving, you know, because when I was at BG, it was Toledo, then Utah,

Brigham Young, and then, you know, Florida, Florida State, and then obviously the rivalry game. So, I mean, the last thing you're doing is worrying about where's Thanksgiving? But it was important to me to give the players off a little bit of time. And in Christmas, we usually left Christmas Day or on the 26th, those are playing. You know, how has that changed in your life as a high school coach? You know, you're done usually by this time of year. I don't know the Texas is much different.

How have you tried to let your players or at least your staff, or is it there really isn't much Thanksgiving or Christmas? Just got to go. Yeah, we spent Thanksgiving together. You know, we ate as a team here in the South End Zone. It was awesome. And then we had a bunch of players go over their position. coach's house that night and then you know it was funny i i did not expect this so i'm walking down

the hallway with big lee hunter our defensive tackle and i said lee if we get to buy i think i have the schedule set to where you can go home for christmas for uh christmas eve and christmas day and be back the next day and he has a daughter and he said so you're telling me i can spend christmas my daughter and i said yes sir if we win this game he goes coached you shouldn't have said that, man, they're in trouble. And I went, I went, oh, gosh, all right, here we go. That's all I needed, you know. And so before the game, I looked across the field.

I said, Lee, remember those guys are trying to keep you away from your daughter on Christmas. That's good coaching. Yeah, he played really well, too. So, you know, he, so that's what we're going to do. You know, coach, my mom and dad came out because we gave them Saturday off. We had to give them an off day. My mom and dad came out. This is the first time that I've spent Christmas with our family since 2016.

Wow. So it is, you know, you find ways to be around your family as much as possible and make sure that these guys are around their families, but you don't have a lot of Thanksgiving or Christmas days off. Coach, I'm curious. The stereotype, the national conversation around Texas Tech is, hey, man, all that oil and gas money, they bought their way to the country. college football playoffs. They bought their way to the Big 12 title game and won it. What is something

about this program that the national narrative is missing? Well, this is one of my favorite things. I thank you so much for this question. So since I've been here, so Texas Tech's been playing football for 100 years. Since I've been here, we hold every single GPA record in the history of Texas Tech football. Let's go. This team with all these guys that we brought in, they just set the all time GPA record as a team for a false semester. So we have a 3.23 team GPA. So whenever you're sitting there talking about, well, all these guys came in because of money, all these guys came in because of this. Man, we have 33 graduates that will play in this playoff game. And this team set the all-time GPA record. So I mean, that tells you right there what this building is all

about how they hold each other accountable, how, you know, everything's important, everything that we do. We do it at the high standard. And so I'm really proud of that, man. And I just think that shows that they just didn't come here for one reason, one reason only. They came here to become better football players and better men. Curious, coach, about the blend of your program right now. What is it, say, high school recruit slash transfer portal, the percentage breakdown? And then what ideally do you want it at going forward? Yeah, it's going to be interesting. You know, we signed 21 high school players. It's the highest rated class in the history of Texas Tech. And we've got some great, we've got 18 of the 21 coming in mid-year, so they'll be here January 10th.

Wow. I'm hoping we're playing on January 9th. I don't get to see them until the next day or two days later, but, you know, they're coming in. You know, with us, We want a good mix because, you know, the backbone of the growth and development, you know, is a guy's coming out of high school. But we also, you know, you can supplement at such a high level, you know, positions that maybe you're still trying to grow. And so I think it would probably be 50-50. You know, most years, you know, I think we'll still have around the 18 to 20 high school players.

There's going to be some years that it would be smaller. because you're going to have to have a young team that you're going to have to get some older guys in. Let me ask you about the bowl experience. I think bowls that some of them are on life support, you know, a team's not going and making decisions not to even play in him. So will you treat this?

The first one I'm trying to remember back, I think we played like it. It was kind of like a bowl game where you have some bowl experience. But then we played for the title against Oregon. It was a business trip. There was nothing there. Are you going to try to try to, to make this somewhat of a bowl experience

or just pure business? No, I think we're gonna, it'd be a little bit of a bowl experience from the standpoint. We're staying at a great place. And so I think they have some stuff set up for us, but, you know, it'll be a business trip from the standpoint of, you know,

we're not going to leave the grounds of the hotel. As soon as we get off the plane, we get to our rooms, they've got to be right back down and we're going through our first walk through. So that's a little bit different. you know, before you get there a few days earlier. And, you know, that first day we get there,

I've always had my guys to where, you know, they've been able to, you know, go out and curfews night until 2 o'clock. We'll have it locked down, you know, just because you're trying to get to that next game. And, you know, we're going to enjoy the trip, but we're going to be really locked in to as a business trip. Coach, I want to talk about your defense, man. I already praised your offense, but the defense, you guys, stop the run. You guys rush the pastor.

Romula Hyde, David Bailey, they have over 22 sacks. You have four players that have multiple interceptions. So you guys stop the run, good against the past, turn the football over. What is the mindset that you guys are preaching to this defense every single day that has them hungry and playing at such a high level? Yeah, so, you know, we talk about all the time you stop the run, you've earned the ride to rush the passer. You know, we just got through with a staff meeting, and that's the key to this game. Oregon is rushing for over 200 yards a game. They've got three running backs.

They're absolutely incredible. And, you know, two of them are freshmen playing at such a high level. I think that's really important. We have to go out and stop the run. But my guys, I did this in 2019 when it arrives at Baylor. Phil Snow, let me take it over. You know, our motto is take three. I actually have my license plan.

on one of my, my car is take three, the one that, you know, I have a dealer's car and then I have my car and it says take three. So we're trying to create three turnovers. And I send something out to the players. It's, I have it on my calendar, so I get an alert. I send something out some video, like when I'm watching film, I record stuff off of Oregon. So now once we knew we were playing Oregon, we shifted to, I send any turnover they have, any batted ball. And So on my defense, every single defense player gets a text for me every single day about taking three. And if we take, if we take three turnovers, we're going to win the game. And that's, you know, that's our key defensively.

Hey, what license plate? What kind of cars that license played on with coaches? All right. So, you know, I think anybody's like this, but I think us as men, you know, I think we grow up and we always think. And I use this a lot in recruiting because I always ask. of the recruits, like, what is the one thing that you're going to buy? Like, what are you going to go out if you want to buy? I'm really not a car guy, but I've always been, I've always been in love with

corvettes, you know, my wife and I have been together for, we've been married for 31 years, but we've been together for 33 years. And I've talked as long as I can remember to her, as I always said, I'm going to own a Corvette before I'm 50. And so when I turned 50, she surprised me. It was in the garage. Let's go. Yeah, with a 2021 stingray black.

We call it the Batmobile Corvette. And so I use that story a lot in recruiting. I mean, you know what? I didn't come. You're telling them to get the right wife, the right significant other. No doubt. Miss McGuire, let's go. A married strong woman.

So when we win, we call it Victory Sunday, of course. I always drive the Corvette on Sunday. Yeah, that American muscle. Let's go. You know, every time we try to cover a team, I try to just walk the sideline and get a feel for the size. And I've been telling people since the day in Salt Lake City when I was down on the sideline. And there will not be a better looking team than Texas Tech. You know, that's one experience we have.

We get to see all these teams. And you have to give credit to your strength coach, your nutrition, because that's not normal at tech. when we did that at Utah. That's not normal. So tell us a little about, you know, how hard it has been and then, you know, give credit to where it's due to get those cats to look like they do because that is a great look.

That's an SEC-looking football team that you have. Man, I appreciate you saying that and leading to that. You know, like, so Lance Barlow is my head strength coach and his crew do an absolutely incredible job. And, you know, what I love about them, I mean, they bring such positive energy. you know, he comes out of the LSU tree. He was at LSU whenever they won it in 2019.

And so those guys, they have their position groups that they really work with. He works with our O-line, you know, and each group, Aaron Hall's got our linebackers and just different ones. And then, you know, one of the biggest things where I came here was really getting Texas Tech to understand, you know, we need a full, time dietitian, and we were able to get a full-time just football only, but then we turned around and we added another one. So they, you know, like the one thing that we've done here, we're operating at really high level when it comes to that. We have, we added a new trainer this year. We have five full-time trainers that are just football only, you know, and so that's made such a huge difference when it comes to the weight room, the way these guys eat, the way

they take care of their body and then the way they recover and uh this team's really bought into it but we do we have we've got some big people you know i always say there's a reason that there's weight classes and boxing you know big people beat up little people they we saw that on friday night somebody found out that whenever you grab a hold of a real heavyweight champion and it hurts when you get hit in the jaw you know and and so that's what you're joshua with jake paul it was it It's crazy. My hats off to Jake Paul, man. That takes a lot of courage to get into a ring with a guy like that.

But that was the change that we've really tried to make. And our guys really, you know, sell out to it. And, you know, we do our body weights. And, you know, I'm big on that because I think if you, once you hit your body weight coming out of camp, you know, to keep yourself healthy, you've got to stay around there, staying hydrated. And our dietitians do a great job of making sure we're hitting those weights. That's great.

Coach, the Ducks installed as an early and slight favorite. Does that provide anything for you motivationally or on the field or is there any positives in that for you? Or do you not even care? No, I love it, man. You know, whenever I talked about how fired up I am with this show, I asked y'all whenever I was on, you know, this summer, I said, I asked coach and I asked Mark. I said, you know, y'all are on great teams. You know, what's the difference? And I would tell you, you know, Mark said, he said the locker room has to lead the team.

And we have a player-led team. You know, again, I've been doing this for 31 years. I've never had a team like this. And I send out one text to our leaders and it gets fixed. Yeah. Like, I do not have to deal with anything past. If I say, coach, if I say, I don't want to deal with this, it needs to be fixed, it gets fixed. And then, you know, coach told me, pissed the team off, you know, and we've been playing

pissed off. I showed him yesterday. There was an article that came out, and they put 15 unanimous, I mean, anonymous coaches who are the biggest frauds in the playoffs. We were the second team. In the first team, I think the only reason they put Ole Miss ahead of us is because Coach Kiffin left, and so I could see where they would say that. So I showed that to the team yesterday. And so we're still That's a gift. Seeing the bear, like we are. I've got me. Yes, sir.

That's a fish. She pissed off. I'm listening. I'm pissed off. I've seen you guys play. Wow. They don't know ball, coach. Don't worry about them.

Them anonymous coaches, they don't know ball. Because if you really, if you really go stand on business, tell us your name. Yeah, that. And, you know, they're either envious of what, you know, we've been able to do or, you know, they didn't play us this year. Either way. I'm going to be there at the orange bowl. I'm going to beat her at the orange bowl. I love it, man.

I'm going to be checking y'all out, you know, y'all, the stadium about 30 minutes south. I'm going to come check y'all out with my son. Come on, man. Yes, sir. Hey, before you go, before, oh, he's seven, he's seven. So, you know, hopefully in 10 years, you know what I mean? You're still doing your thing, and I'm going to have more ready for you. Hey, he might have an offer before he leaves the orange phone.

Let's go. First offer, Ray Riders, let's go. No, but, hey, tell the people what you told us before we got on, and we started recording about our show, man. Man, I just, I can't thank you guys enough. Number one, you know, I'm a huge fan. I think what you guys do for college football and bringing us to the forefront,

it's such a great stage, and y'all are so knowledgeable. But, man, I appreciate you, because y'all have done really, I constantly think about that summer conversation. And, you know, there has not been a week that we have not talked. about that, of being a player-led team and finding different people saying whatever they said.

I mean, our Friday night meetings before the game, my creative team do just a great job of getting the guys ready to go and a highlight film, and it usually has somebody saying something about, you know, that so-and-so is going to beat us. And so we just want people to keep doubtness. Just just keep doubtness and we're just going to keep proven people wrong. Let's go. Well, coach, here's to rip it around Lubbock on January 2nd in your

Corvette and taking three on a bag. That's right. Take three from everybody. Joey McGuire, head coach Texas Tech once again, thanks so much for joining us. Happy New Year. Enjoy the Orange Bowl. Thanks, thank you, Coach. Appreciate so. Welcome back to the

Triple Option. Rob Mark Urban 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. Well, the Ohio State Offensive Game Plan coach had a bit of a crossroads right now. Offensive coordinator, Brian Hartline, congratulations off to Tampa to be the head coach at USF. Still has this huge playoff game to deal with and just announced Ryan Day saying, with all the distractions going on out there, he has decided that he will take over

the offensive play calling for their Cotton Bowl game against Miami. Yeah, I can give some intel on that because I actually have to deal with that. And two of our three national titles, I had coaches that left to be head coaches and I brought him back. And it was, I had to stay on it, you know,

because he's officially, Brian Hartlines, he's the head coach of USF. Mark, you know what I mean? I mean, and you can say, where I'm going to discipline my time. But I think Ryan, he's a plate. Great pike. He obviously was my plate caller, excellent at it.

And he just had to make a head coach decision, and he did. So I had, Dan Mullen was my head coach at Florida, my office coordinator of Florida, took the Mississippi State job. I brought him back, and he did a great job. We won. Tom Herman left to be the head coach of Houston and brought him back, and we beat Oregon. So I've been through it, but I think, I think, you know,

Coach Day made the right to. decision here, and plus he's excellent at that. You know, that's not a skill he's not well-versed at. It's a big news. That's a big change. And it's a right decision. And again, you know, new offensive coordinator for Will Chip Kelly was the guy calling the plays last year when they went to the national title. So here they are. Interesting, interesting situation and the timing for that one. Other news, this one I don't love. Notre Dame and USC, such a great tradition. Like, this is why we love college football. The fact that Notre Dame and USC. They have played every year since 1926 except for four years.

Three of those years, World War II, one of those years, COVID and a pandemic. Well, it was announced today that those two programs will not play against each other until at least 28. Notre Dame scheduling a home and away with BYU in 26 and 27. There's a lot to digest in this one. In the end, Mark, it feels like the timing of this one wasn't where it wanted to be for both programs. Yeah, because I think USC wanted to play it before the season, before conference play, and what Notre Dame wanted to play it in the middle of the season, and they just couldn't

come to terms. It couldn't come to agreement. But at the end of the day, I also think neither one of those teams are too down about not scheduling it because, you know, you know, you. You get a – well, I mean, Notre Dame schedule with BYU, but at the end of the day, Notre Dame schedule in Miami and A&M, they lost the first two games. They won the rest.

They got punished for it. You're going to see most of these teams. They're going to start these home-in-aways, like Alabama has a home-in-a-way against Ohio State. Like, why would you even do that? You know what I mean? Texas played Ohio State. In week one, they lost by seven points. They played them closer than anybody up until the Big Ten championship when they played Indiana.

So you're getting punished for these games that you're playing against top 15 opponents. And then people who aren't playing easy, booty-cheek schedules are going 12 and 0. They're getting into the playoff. So you're going to see this more and more where these teams are going to, these home in a ways that we love to see early in the season that are great for fans that are great for college football. You're going to start seeing these types of games go off the schedule because of the committee not respecting top 15 matchups, top 15 losses when it comes down to the end of the season and getting in the playoffs and getting out the playoffs. So it sucks to see Notre Dame and USC die down, but they couldn't come to agreement. You're going to start seeing more of this, unfortunately, I believe. I coached in that rivalry six times, and it's actually heartbreaking.

I heard this, you know, Brady Quinn said that was going to happen and just devastated. But like Mark said, get ready. We are headed for the worst non-conference schedules and the history of our sport. And I would put on the to-do list for college football higher-ups. You got to fix this. This is going to be a mess. Remember, the number one team in the land, Indiana, played Kennesaw, Old Dominion, and Indiana State.

You know, and you're talking about a lot of lost revenue on the table. So that somehow, I still believe the committee has got to go away. It's got to become playing so you don't get penalized. And you still, someone's got to get a hold of this schedule. And the problem is, unless it changes, you're going to, it's going to be disgusting, the offseason, the non-conference schedules. that we're going to see. Yeah, you know, Alabama, we have a home in a way with Ohio State, I think, in 27, 28.

And just little bird. Why? They're talking about trying to not do that anymore. Like, I don't know if it's going to get done or if it's not, but it's definitely on the radar to get that off the schedule. You know what I mean? Because what benefit does it do you if you play that game close and they're going to hold it against you when it's time to be... Particularly if it's late, right? If that's a late game, you're going to get punished, right? rather than earlier in the season.

Even early, you're going to get some punishment. A&M lost to two teams. But at least if it happens early on, you have more time to build up equity and good credit. You know, also, we talked about the timing of this one. Again, one team's in a conference, one team isn't, right? So I understand USC's point of, hey, we can't just drop this in the middle of a gauntlet where maybe there's Oregon and Michigan

and Penn State and Ohio State and, you know, Washington or whatever. then we can't just oh by the way here's a Notre Dame bomb yeah right that we need to do this before conference play begins if you're Notre Dame should have accommodated them well yeah but then Notre Dame is saying well hey man we've got home field advantage in the late fall and early winter right we want you in south bed hey Southern Cal you know what we want come on down come on down in late October November when it's chilly and that wind is blowing and the leaves are no longer You know, beautiful and colorful in Indiana. It's dark and it's nasty and it's great.

They want that home field advantage. They don't want to host sunny Southern California in August and September now. You're playing Pitt, though. That's their point. They want to play those teams where they see them, they're not going to tell you it, but they look at them as wins. And they get those late season wins so they're not dinged by the playoff committee. Because these are the games we love in college football.

This is really awful. Yeah, it sucks. because these are the games we love in college football. Can you imagine if Ohio State and Michigan canceled their series. We're out. I remember Matt Leiner, Brayton, Quinn, too much damage can't be done. We're not going to do it anymore.

What are we talking about? It's only downhill from here, though, Stone. I'm going to tell you that. Listen, the three of us are going to fight it, guys. Knuckle up, man. Knuckle up. We're going to fight this. We're going to keep good games being played in college football throughout.

But, boy, it's going to be tough. It's going to be heavy lifting, my friend. Kennesaw, Old Dominion. Kennesaw, Old Dominion. And the Indiana State are getting a lot of phone calls right now. They're getting a lot of pay to play, huh, right now, Coach. All right. Time for two-minute drill.

It's brought to you by our great partners at Fandul. Visit Fandul.com slash triple option to download the app and take advantage of a 50% profit boost today. So last week's show, we picked the Alabama-Indiana game and the Miami-Ohio State Quarterfinal time now for the other two quarters. Mark, we start with you. Number six, Ole Miss, taking on number three, Georgia. That one at the Sugar Bowl, proper SEC setting for this one.

Again, this is a rematch from the game earlier this year. Bulldogs favored by seven and a half over under 55.5. I think Pete Golding has done a great job of just kind of weathering the storm that Lane Kiffin left behind, just kind of calming everything down. They came out. They played sharp. Obviously, it was against Tulane, a team who they had beat 45 to 10 earlier in the season. But they played sharp.

Trinidad Chambliss, he looked like he was on point. Kewan Lacey, they're running back. We know they could throw the football. But defensively, I saw Tulane being able to move the ball on them a little bit. And I saw that a little concerning, especially when you have Georgia coming to town. Gunner Stockton, he's playing really efficient, making good decisions. A. Fraser, the way they run the football. Zachariah Branch, the explosive niffs on the outside.

And then defensively, they are playing some of the best football in the entire country right now. They're playing tough. They're playing physical. They're getting turnovers. They're being dominant on both sides of the line of scrimmage. I think Georgia right now probably is my favorite to win the national championship. And I feel like they're going to cover this. The line was seven and a half.

They won 43, 35 early in this year. I feel like they're a better football team right now. And we have seen Ole Miss. They play Tulane, but they still have some trouble on the defensive side, stopping a run. And that's what George is great at doing, running the football. So I see this being, you said it's seven and a half. I like them to cover that number in this matchup.

And I think Georgia is poised to continue to make a run for the national title this year. That regular season game, mid-October in Athens, Mark, defense was optional for a majority of that game. The teams combined to score on their first 11 possessions. Defense was optional. I think that they've turned a page since then Georgia has at least. I think so. Remember, Ole Miss was up nine in the fourth quarter of that one. Georgia scored the final 17 to get that win.

Pete Golding, I love what he's done. By the way, undefeated Pete Golden. One in O is a head coach, right? And you're right. He said, let's just stay the course. Right? Like there's no need to change the culture right now. We'll do that in the off season. What you've done so far to get us here is good enough. But I found this interesting coach. One of the things that Pete Golding did when he took over for Lane Kiffin, he called, he had every player come in for a personal meeting.

And he asked them, give me one thing you like what we're doing and one thing you might want to change, right? That's kind of all the input he wanted right now. He said every player. every player came in every player in my mind hasn't earned that right i think your your dudes there's some players your leadership committee or whatever again this is what i read this is what i read every player came in i respect it though one thing you change sure uh and one of the things they changed they lane had this like basketball hoop that was set up on the sideline uh and they had it one of their meeting rooms some of the guys thought that was hokey it was out some of the guys didn't like that they all

had to wear the same cleats and he said you know what you guys have your individual flavors and your taste you guys can wear the cleats you want so mark you know that look good all the same cleats is not it bro so we're so we're talking about cleats and basketball hoops hey whatever whatever works for that culture man hey listen coach i respect it as a coach you've taken over a new program at least get a temperature for your team yeah and stick your tongue out and slide it underneath let's see what's going on as a player coach you're and at least so even it shows you care about how we feel maybe it's the little things how would I be in that meeting tell me about the basketball you'd be like let's go no but it's just like this it's like I say like this at least you make me feel like you care it's like when you're in the airport and your flight is delayed and they don't tell you nothing to just keep delaying a flight or you know they come on they're like we are sorry for the inconvenience we appreciate your service here's some water and some Biskhoff cookies.

You don't give a damn about my... At least make me think you care, Coach. Are you a Biskopf cookie guy? I do like the Biskopf. I do, too. I didn't know they existed until I started flying a lot. I don't know why they are just in the airline... Cookies spasers from Tripockeys?

Oh, man. I do mow those suckers down when they roll into me. All right, coach, your turn, Oregon... Coach just staring outside here, listen to the shit I'm talking about, man. I'm just trying to get over the basketball... Basketball cookies. And cleats. All right. Let's bring you back, Coach. Coach,

hug it out. Here we go. Group hug. Let's bring it in, Coach. Bring it in, Coach. Here we go. Number four, Texas Tech, number five, Oregon at the Orange Bowl. Man, I am so looking forward to this one. We talked to Joey McGuire. Remember, Oregon, a slight favorite, one and a half points they're favored by. Coach, the over under, 52 and a half. As many bad games as they were at the original playoffs. games. These are phenomenal games. I went back and we love Texas Tech. We saw them up close and personal and I made the comment many, many times. That's an SEC looking team. But I went back and looked at their schedule. They played Utah and they played BYU twice. Other than that,

they had better cats. And really, they had better players in those two teams. So this would be the first time that the Texas Tech's what you got. They got's what you got and maybe some more. and it's on the road. So this will be, this is, this is wake up time and say, you know, not wake up time, but this has come to Jesus time for that locker room at Texas Tech. I think it's going to be a phenomenal. I think it's going to be a walk-off game. Remember, Oregon struggled just a little bit, slowing the, wait, Oregon, I'm sorry.

Yeah, they gave up 34 to James Madison, particularly that second half, yeah. And coach lit into it, too. Coach lit into him about that. That was perfect for Dan Landing, right? A comfortable win, but James Madison gave him enough firepower to keep those boys sharp and alert. I just think this will be, this is going to be an old school war, Mark. This is going to be, I can't wait to watch this one. This is two.

I'm going. I love these head coaches. I love the players. I love the demeanor. I love the way they play the game. I just think I'm going to take Oregon with a walkoff right at the end. Think about what Oregon has done the last two years, right? I mean, and I might change.

You know, I'm not, I'm going to be watching more film over the last next week, but I don't know, Mark, you're big Red Raider guy so much. I'm not going to lie, coach. This is going to be a freaking woman. Who? I think they might win. Texas Tech? I think Tech might win.

Oh, yeah. I think Tech might win. But this is the problem. They had to slow down the running backs. They have four of them. They have three of them. You can't stop the run. You don't have a chance.

And that's my opinion on this game. And if those whiteouts are healthy, those whiteouts are healthy. Those white outs are healthy for Oregon. Oh, yeah. DeCarrion Moore? No, he played, didn't he? As long as they're healthy, right? Because they've been banged up coming in.

Oregon's coordinators have taken jobs, too. Keep that in mind. He got one of the head coach of Cal and one the head coach of Kentucky. One foot in and one foot out. Yeah. Well, Ohio State's dealing with that with heartline. I'm done with it. Mark, it's real.

One foot in, one foot out. That's trouble. We get to see some leg on the show. Look at that, a late holiday gift, a little Mark Ingram leg on the show. I did I get some legs today, so I had to show you all that quiet. You feel me? How about the last two years of the Ducks? 25 and 2, 25 and 2, 2 college football playoff appearance and member.

They were the number one seed last year, lost in the quarters to the defending champs, Ohio State. Greatest season in Texas Tech history. They've never finished in the top 10. Coach McGuire offered the third already. I'm a Red Raider through and through now. Maybe he'll throw in a Corvette with that deal as well, huh? With that take three on the back. And he's marking him the third.

I call them three, so take three. Hey, next fall, road trip, Lubbock, we're jumping in this Corvette. We're cruising around Lubbock. Done and done. Make sure to follow. Subscribe. Rate us on YouTube, Apple, Podcast, Spotify. Wherever you get your podcast, you can find us on social media.

3x option show. Thanks, as always, to our wonderful sponsors. How good have they been to us? Wendy's, we love you, fan duel, ditto, NHTSA, thank you for all your support. Happy New Year and enjoy the college football quarterfinals. Let's go.