The Triple Option - Texas and Penn State Out of Top 25, College Football Playoff Dark Horses, and Week 7 Picks

Episode Date: October 8, 2025

We are...out of the Top 25. Urban Meyer, Mark Ingram II, and Rob Stone react to a massive top 25 rankings shake up after Penn State's loss to UCLA and Texas falls to Florida, putting the preseason top two teams outside of the rankings. Mark then crowns UCLA transfer Nico Iamaleava as his dawg of the week. Winning at UCLA must run in the family, as OC Jerry Neuheisel reacts to the win. The guys then discuss the Neuheisel legacy as well as Rick's guitar skills. They then dive into the reasons this season has more parity than any other in college football history. We got Three and Out with College Football Dark horses. Spoiler alert, get the tortillas ready Lubbock. Coach, Rob, and Mark then hit the 2-minute drill, picking Texas-Oklahoma, Indiana-Oregon, and Alabama-Mizzou. 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. Tendys Now at Wendy’s. https://www.tendys.com Thank you to our additional sponsors Zip Recruiter - Try FOR FREE at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Ziprecruiter.com/Option⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ FanDuel - Visit ⁠⁠⁠https://Fanduel.com/TripleOption⁠⁠⁠ to download the app and take advantage of a 50% Profit Boost today! #CollegeFootball #PennState #Texas #UCLA #Neuheisel #Alabama #SEC #BigTen #Clemson #OhioState Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You always do this, man. You always just want to wait until everyone someone says the dog and you want to come back door and say something like you just better than me. Yeah, you know why? I'm going to tell you why, Mark. It's personal this week. 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 another edition of the. triple option urban Meyer Mark Inger on the second doose doose Rob Stone back here with you there might be a few things to talk about this week you can talk about roll tie but a couple teams got rolls

and are making major headlines we're going to talk about those two and coming up in the second I love her you say roll tie coach I ain't going to lie I love your shirt man I'm a tight guy appreciate you know and we got the cut off sleeves too you know I mean and we do the roll tie on the hoodie too This is what happens when you beat Vanderbilt now, right?

You go all decked out, you wear in the gear and the logo because you beat Vanderbilt. Man, y'all love Vanderbilt. You don't see Coats breaking that out. Y'all love Verdebilt. The Buckeyes beat Northwestern. Y'all anointed Vanderbilt as new everything. I mean, we have Johnny Mansell on the sideline.

That was a solid shot, Rob. That was a solid shot. That was a solid shot. You're welcome. I'm trying to lay, I'm going to lay a couple body blows this week. Everybody must think Van Die is it because, I mean, even Johnny football. was on the sideline

wearing a Diego Pavia jersey. Yeah, that was weird. That was, that was straight. So, I mean, roll damn tight. Go on to go on with the show, man. All right, carry on. We're going to talk about some programs that maybe we're not talking about enough

as far as the college football playoff picture is concerned. Hey, Notre Dame. Hey, Texas Tech. How you doing out there? It was a very, very good week for the New Heisle family. You'll see and hear what we're talking about. Mark's Dog Dog Dog Dogg.

All right. Juice Dog Dog Dog Dog of the week. Yeah. It is a good one. It is unfortunately going to disappoint at least one of us. Sorry, Mark. And, of course, we will hit what in the world is going on in Austin and Happy Valley. Crazy Days with Texas and Penn State. As always, thank you for joining us. Please rate, subscribe over at Apple Podcast, Spotify, wherever it is that you find your podcast. You can find us on social media at 3X option show. New episodes coming your way every Wednesday on YouTube and wherever it is that you find your podcast.

Remember, leave questions. and comments, and we might hear it in the show. We have one this week coming away. So let's start. We ready? It is time for any given Saturday. Penn State and Texas, your preseason number one and number two teams. Both out of the top 25 this week.

Just like pause. Laws and think about that. Pause. Five weeks in, out. Texas, number one, number two. Out. The guy and the teams with the returning quarterbacks. Correct.

Guys that were like, I kept hearing, well, Rob, you said it, that all these scouts are here to watch Arch Manning, and I'm like, wait. Yeah, that was week one in Columbus. Yeah. And then obviously Drew Hour has been a, you know, he's had good gains, but in the big ones he has. No, he's not there.

So Penn State, they fell to previously winless UCLA, 42 to 37. Texas, they go to the swamp. They lose to a floundering Florida team, 29, 21. As we mentioned, both are out of the top 25. What is next for each program? By the way, let me start with this. I refuse to believe that Texas and Penn State are not top 20 teams.

I know they're not in the top 25 this week, but I refuse to believe that. I understand the big fall off the cliff due to what has happened all season and what transpired on Saturday. But coach, these rosters, these coaches are too damn good to not be top 20 teams. No, but you're going to, you're going to, this is going to go one of two ways. It's not going to be medium. They're either going to fall off the cliff and it's going to be an embarrassment for both places or they'll fight back.

And I can't tell you, I don't know the locker rooms. You know, this is Ohio State lost a horrific game against the Wolverines last year, and they had some grown men in the locker room, flip it and turn it around. You saw Florida State two years ago have an awful locker. crew. And as a result, they were an embarrassment to their school. So I don't think it will happen. I'm guessing at the end of the year, it'll be a eight, nine win for each of these teams and they'll go to some bowl game and try to go again. But Penn State followed, Mark, Penn State followed. The Buckeyes and the Wolf reins. The players said, we're going to come back.

We have unfinished business. There's a bunch of dudes. Both those tailback could be playing in the NFL right now, and they said, we're coming back. And as a result, they get on a plane. And that was first time in 40 years, 45 years, the Big Ten Network told me that a team in the top 10 lost to an 014. Think about that. Coach, they come off of a tough loss, overtime loss in Oregon. Then you go on the road and lay an egg. Like, we've been talking about Penn State.

They beat the teams they're supposed to beat. They're not even doing that right now. Like, this is. Well, here's the question, Mark. And Rob, too. So Drew Eller is going to be a person of contention here. Every game they've lost, the ball ends in his hands. Remember, Oregon?

He under threw in the triple coverage over time. After doing a great job, scoring, going down the field and scoring twice. And then they do a run play with them. And I still on fourth and two, fourth and three against usually, I ran that playback 25 times trying to find out exactly what we're wrong there. Coach Franklin said they missed a block. It was a tough block. The number two receiver mark had to block a guy that was coming.

I mean, that was a tough block and got hit right in the face. And Penn State walked off. So maybe don't call that play. Well, I just haven't been a— I don't know, man. I mean— I just haven't been a believer of Drew Aller, coach. Like, everyone says the measurables.

Everyone says the armed talent. I just have not seen it come to fruition on the football field. The one common denominator of the last three seasons at Penn State is he's been the quarterback. So, I mean, he has all this talent and all this ability, but I have not seen it come to fruition yet for Penn State. That's one of the reasons they have not beat Ohio State or Michigan or, you know, or Oregon this year is a, you know, I don't think he has had tremendous help on the outsides. You know what I mean? They have the running back. A couple years running, right?

Yes. Thinette wide receiver, they have not upgraded that position to. It's not always his fault. But your quarterback. That's a pretty good tight ends, though. When you're that guy at the quarterback position. you elevate your level of play and you elevate the level of players around you

and I just haven't seen Drowler develop into that guy who Penn State needs him to be. Let's be honest this was a game that we should not have been watching right? When we all got on the plane after Michigan took care of Wisconsin I was like the one who's just like

hey let's just kind of check in on Penn State right how do they do it I'm like they're down what yeah still down what and all of a sudden all of us on the plane are watching that game this should have been a nothing game Instead, Penn State let Oregon beat them two weeks in a row. I am convinced about that. Oregon took them down last week and the carryover, the hangover,

traveled with them to the West Coast, and they laid an absolute egg. And it's because of performances like that, and we talked about James Franklin last week, has Penn State and James Franklin hit that ceiling? Listen, I think there's a lot of Penn State fans and alums out there who are very appreciative of what James Franklin has done for them. But I think that ceiling, he keeps smacking it right now.

his head on it. Bam, bam, bam, this is only as good as we can get. And this good is really good. Yeah. This good is really good. I mean, in the second half, in the second half,

Pest Day was clearly the better team. But you lose to Oregon, you make a West Coast travel. You come out. You start lax-a-based- travel stuff. I'm tired of that, BS. That's what the conference is right now, right?

Hey, West Coast team's got to come Midwest and kick off early. That's what you signed up for. They felt bad. They felt sorry for themselves off of overtime loss. You travel to the West Coast. Think you're just going to wake up and beat a winless team in UCLA.

You start slow. Now you're down 27 to 7 at the half. You come out in the second half. You're the better team in the second half. But it's too late. You go 14 to 7 to 3rd quarter, 16 to 8 in the 4th quarter. But it was too late. You didn't have enough to come back.

So, man, I'm sorry. And I watched that film in depth, the game on depth for the Big Ten Network this weekend. And Nico, I told, after that performance, invited him to New York for the high school. I'm just kidding. I'm just kidding. But I mean... I've been waiting for that all year, by the way.

His talent, my God, he made them look silly. He ran for well over 100 yards and it was phenomenal. Above 28 and three TDs. If you had no idea and just watching it like I did, UCLA was by far the best team, Rob. Yeah. I mean, and here, I'm going to say this too, and I hope this gets out there. This tells the media, the fans, and most importantly, young coaches, when you start

bitching about your players, calm down. You know what? UCLA's got bad players. Bullshit. Go watch the film. They have really good players there. For some reason, they weren't playing good now. But that's where you got to look yourself in the mirror as a coach and say, hey, why aren't they playing good? It's so easy for people and I get so pissed off when I used to hear my coaches do it. Well, this guy's not very good. He's a good player. He's wearing a UCLA uniform. That means he was good somewhere. It's your job as a coach to find it. And I'll tell you. you what, New Heisel's son and Skipper, I believe, the interim, interim, I mean, absolutely hats off for that. I mean, because they played their ass off mark in that game.

Yes, they did. Yeah, they did. They came with it, man. They came out. They started fast and they bawled out, man. And Nico I. Amaliava, the man who was the forgotten man, the poster child of what not to be, he showed you what he truly can be. It's worth watching. His abilities. It was on full display last weekend on Saturday. to wrap up Penn State, guys. And I want one more comment from you both before we get to Texas. So here's Penn State right now. Three and two, O and two in the Big Ten. Okay. All right. The good thing, they return home this weekend. They've got Northwestern. And then they go at Iowa, tricky, buy week at Ohio State. Remember, these buys fell right in line for them. Buy before Oregon. Buy before Ohio State. How much do I have to buy that?

right like 100% thank you this was this schedule is a gift a gift to Penn State three three preseason games right coach and then a buy week and then Oregon all right so there's no excuse in the schedule front after Ohio State Indiana so there's your two ranked remaining teams left for Penn State give them losses that's four conference losses if we're going to give them those two losses and I'm not right now but I'm just saying it then it's at Michigan State versus Nebraska at Rutgers. So, you know, I'm an East Coast guy. I have a lot of people that went to Penn State care about Penn State. Somebody forwarded me this email that circulated around Penn State alums. I don't know if I went to all the alums. I don't know what exactly how it got there,

but it somehow came from me from a good source. And it's a buyout for a better tomorrow. $58 million is the goal. Geez, wow. I mean, are you even kidding me? So they're saying, hey, if every alum chips in this much, we can get to this thing and we can move on from Coach Franklin. So that's the situation that's happening right now in Happy Valley. My question is that you just finally draw the line just now?

Well, that's the point, yeah, because I don't... Because you've been... It's clear when you see that, Mark, it's clear when you see that, Mark, that you know this has been building. And not just building this year. And again, there were such great hype and expectations for this Penn State program with all that they've accomplished, with all the dudes coming back at major positions with the way the schedule was laid out for them, that this was going to be the year that they get back, that they get back and get that holy grail of college football. Remember, they were so close last year to getting to the championship game. But I read this, Mark, and it says to me that there has been a building undercurrent here that, hey, we're tolerating this.

coach in this program because they are winning, but I don't know if they just totally feel it or bought in with Coach Franklin. Again, Dabo Sweeney has struggled the last couple years. There's not quite that angst undercurrent. It's there for sure. But again,

dabble has won national titles, right? That's going to buy you some time. Coach Franklin hasn't done that yet. And that's what's like kind of sticking in the law. He doesn't want a national title or a Big Ten title. Yeah, he won one in 16. They beat us. I don't even remember that, Coach.

But I just want to throw this out for a conversation that Joe Paterno, Woody Hayes, Lou Holtz, Bo Schenbeck, or Bobby Bowling, that was my generation. And that was the day when coach would stay at a place for, I mean, some of those guys, 20, 30 years. And that's over. That's done.

Coach Forens at Iowa just broke the record, Woody Hayes' record for most wins in the Big Ten history because he's been there forever. He's a great coach, but it's also a school that allowed him to do that. This won't ever, ever happen again. Certainly not in my lifetime, I think, forever. Because now, Bo Schembeckler was at Wolverines for 21 years, Mark. He never won a title.

And there's a statue of him out front. You know what his record in bowl game was? He was 5 and 12 in bowl games. Wow. And he did win some big 10. He won a bunch of big 10 championships. And you flip that record coach to 12 and 5 and even that, you're like, that's it? He was just a 5 and 12.

And there's a statue of him out there. And there's a statue of them out there. And I'm a huge fan of Coach Ben Boshemba. Immortalized and you never won a natty? But he also probably made $85,000 a year coaching. So now you're. And it was a more patient society. Seven digits and maybe eight.

Yeah. Well, just re-clify yourself. You said, the man never won a natty? Never. And he's immortalized? there's a big statue. Immortalized. Shumbeckler Hall.

You know, the other thing interesting about Coach Franklin, and I'm really not trying to pile on on Coach Franklin. I just, I can feel the angst in Happy Valley and the Keystone State is there always seems to have been kind of, I don't know if rumors is the right way to say it, but there's always been chatter that, hey, this program's interested in Coach Franklin and this program's interested in Coach Franklin. He's always been very passionate, like, this is my home, this is where I'm going, But still, when you keep hearing that, coach, you know, there's usually, you know, if there's a little smoke,

there's usually a little fire somewhere around. And you wonder if it is time. You know, you wonder if it's time for him and if you wonder if it's time for the program. When I was coaching, I used to have people, I really didn't have agents. I, you know, a couple guys helped me out. And, but they would say, you know, do we want to get it out there that the school's interested? You know, I'm like, what? Why? Why? Right. And they're to, you know, to have leverage on your school. I'm not saying Coach Franklin does that. But it's like every year I'm like, where is that coming from? Yeah, wait. Why is his name associated with this?

Yeah, that always caught me off guard. Light it. With Amex Platinum, access to exclusive Amex pre-sale tickets can score you a spot trackside. So being a fan for life turns into the trip of a lifetime. That's the powerful backing of Amex. Pre-sale tickets for future events subject to availability and vary by race. Terms and conditions apply. Learn more at MX.com.ca.

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future where the path to support is clear and every step forward feels like progress Not another wrong turn. Visit camh.ca to help us forge a better path for mental health care. So again, Penn State, they've got Northwestern this week. Still two more ranked opponents coming away, and they are looking for their first big 10 win. The other big news coming out of Texas, the preseason number one team, all the hype around Sark and all the hype around Manning and all the dudes and the great recruiting class and they go down to Florida and they lose. or Arch Manning. I'm going to tell you this, though. I'm going to tell you this, though, about Florida.

Their defense keeps them in every single game. They've lost, they don't look great like they're looking like they're unwinding, but that Florida defense keeps them in every single game. They've had a chance to win every single game because of their defense. That's fine at all. It's still Texas, the preseason number one, losing out of Florida team that lost to the University South Florida at home. They can't run the football.

Archman is their leading rusher. Yeah. Archman is leading rusher. Their defense, they're not getting pressure on the quarterback. We looked at Texas last year. You look at their offensive line and their defensive line. They look like superhumans. Like, these guys aren't performing how we thought they should have early in a year.

Archmanage turning the football over. So I don't know. So did we value these guys too high or do we need to put a little over this on Sarkton? We put a lot of Arch Manning. We put a lot of Arch Manning just because his last name is Manning. I agreed. And I got some pushback early in the, summer, because I said a few times, I think it was on Colin Coward or something,

and said, pump the brakes now. I mean, I went back and watched all 48 snap, whatever it was a year ago. And he's fine. I mean, he's, but fine. I'll never forget you looking at me, Rob, in game one and saying all these scouts, potential number one overall pick. And I remember going, who? No, he's not. Someday he might be. Here's the problem I have, and I kind of gave him benefit of the doubt against Ohio State because they're receivers to me, and they still don't look like Texas receivers. But March Manning, week in, week out, after five games, you should start to see that progression. That's what happens to really good quarterbacks, from Dwayne Haskins to J.T. Barrett, to Tebow, to Alex Smith, the ones I had

my hands on, and I saw, you saw a steady progression where game three is better than game two. Game four is better than game three. Here's my problem, Mark. Not so fast. You see it with your boy at Ohio State. He's developed each from the first game to the fifth, sixth game. You see him. There's a progression going. That's what makes Ohio State scary. Where you have that kind of stagnant each game, you don't see that progression,

you don't see that growth. That's concerning. And you see he has the arm talent. You see he has the ability with his legs, but it's just, man, it's not all him. You know what I mean? Like, when you're the leading rusher, it's not all you. When you're not getting pressure on the quarterback, it's not all you. So this is a whole Texas thing.

It's not just an arch-manning thing. It's a team game. And the whole program needs to take a step back and re-evaluate. So Texas, they still have four games left versus ranked opponents. They got the Red River coming up this week, right? Oklahoma this week in Dallas. We'll talk more about that coming up a little bit later. They host Vanderbilt.

They're at Georgia. Lord. And then they host Texas A&M. That's what's still ahead for Texas. I will say this about. the two teams we just talked about out of the top 25 and this could be either they'll make a run or they'll be catastrophic yeah it will be it will be one of those ones we'll all look at each other and say what in the hell how about this one coach let me throw this at because these players nowadays

i mean there's a bunch of cats now make them some serious serious money at these places who do you believe in more at this point who do you believe can rally things around and get themselves back into the playoff picture is it texas or is it texas or is it Penn State. When you look at the schedules, I have to lean Penn State. That schedule you just rattled off while people want to say the SEC this, SEC that. That is no slouch right there. Oklahoma is a good football team.

They're lucky they're catching them without John Mateer. Correct. Vandy is for real. They had Alabama on the ropes if it wasn't for a couple turnovers, timely turnovers from Diego Pavia. A&M, Marcel Reed. He's playing lights out right now. Who else you said that? at Georgia, you know, they're going to want to keep doing their thing.

So when you talk about comparing schedules, Penn State has Northwestern Iowa. They go to Ohio State, so I'm going to count that as an L. Indiana, too. Like, home to Indiana, Mark. Home with Indiana. Indiana at Penn State. At Penn State. So, I don't, man. See, I would look at Texas that schedule and like, oh, not Lord, LOD, right?

LOD. LOD. Am I saying it right? Lod. Lod. But I would say it gives you. them the opportunity to get right. Super challenging, but against four ranked

opponents, you get yourself right with those teams. You get yourself back into the conversation, not just in the SEC, but in the college football playoff. Penn State, there is no margin for error. I mean, if you give them Ohio State loss, that's the re-en conference play. They're done.

They're done, at least in Big Ten championship conversation. I think they're done right now. But could they rally? There you go. And that's the thing, if they make a rally. It's how you judge a team in November, not here in early October, but our early October observations are not great. They run the table during the Big Ten Championship,

which means they're going to the playoffs again. They run the table. They somehow find a way to beat Ohio State. They somehow find a way to beat Indiana, which I don't know how that's looking, but anything's possible, any given Saturday. There's a chance. Well, here's a thing.

Penn State will jog on the field however many times. Seven games left, I think it is. and they'll have one team across the field that will have the same talent or better talent than that one. Texas won't have any. So keep that in mind as this is all the locker room thing to me. This is not you, and which is the head coach is responsible. This is where they're going to find out, man. Again, Penn State, the white blue jerseys are going to jog on the field.

There's only one team that has what you got. That's it. It's Ohio State. And then Indiana does not. Now they have Signetti and some pretty good team now, but not the same five-star and all that nonsense. Texas, Zilch. Zilch. There's not another team that has the same.

Now, Oklahoma's close and Georgia's close. Yeah, but not the same. Not the same. We get to say up here and say what we think, but at the end of the day, you got to line up, you got to kick that football off, and you got to play football. That's what I love about this. It's still insane. Penn State, Texas, not the AP top 20. after being one and two in the preseason.

Let us know your comments. Let us know your thoughts. Wait, we ain't going to have no jobs no more at this rate. Why? Wait, why are we in jeopardy? Because we all picked them to be one of the best teams. I mean, everybody's saying the Big Ten had the three best teams in the nation. Well, listen, by the way, they, all right, so now it's two.

Two. Oregon and Ohio State are next level. Yes, they are. They are elite. Can't wait to see the Buckeyes live this week in Illinois. Time now for the. Deuce, doce, dog of the week. The deuce, deuce, arra, aura.

We already talked about a man, but the forgotten man, the man who everyone was just killing. Said he's the poster trial of what not to do. But I got love for my dog, Nico Ia Maliavo. He went out there, Penn State came to town, and he just bawled out. He showed his capabilities, his abilities, his leadership. He had 166 yards, two touchdowns, 97 QBR. 17 to 24, so efficient, accurate, but also the running ability, the playmaking ability with his legs,

128 yards and three touchdowns on the ground. So he had nearly 300 yards and five total touchdowns, getting their first one of the season against the Penn State team who was number seven in the nation. So Nico, I, Nico, I, your boy, for the hour, the dog of the hour, hour week. That was your fresh take of the week, presented by Wendy's joint team tendies. and enjoy a lineup like never before. Crispy, juicy, tendies now at Wendy's. Go ahead, coach.

Sorry. I'm glad you read that. I couldn't have done that. That's what I'm here for. Last year, when I first, Nico first came on the scene, I called both Brady Quinn and Matt Liner to gurus, a quarterback play. And I said, I'm ironic. This is the best quarterback in college football.

His height, his size, his athleticism, his ability reset his feet. The ball gets out fast. And you saw it. I mean, you haven't seen that in a long time. time. But you watch that tape, man, and you're like, oh my God, where has this guy been hiding? You see the ability, man, and it flashed.

It's there for sure. Speaking of forgotten men, I'm not happy with the deuce-duce dog of the week. It was an excellent pick, right? I'm not, this is not me. You always do this, man. You always just want to wait to everyone someone says the dog, and you want to come back door and say something like you just better

to me. You know who's, you know why? I'm going to tell you why, Mark, because it's personal this week. You know who should have been your deuce, deuce dog of the week? This guy. Rob Stone should have been your deuce dog of the week. Look at this text chain, all right? Rob Stone collected a bananas foster for Mark Ingram at restaurant Friday night. All right, Mark went out and look at this.

We cleaned it up. What does your teammate do? He collects your bananas foster. He takes your room key. He hand delivers bananas foster. Not just hand delivered, Mark. Ingram, ice cream was put where? In the freezer.

In the freezer. Bananas Foster. In the refrigerator. I tied it up your bed. I mean, what more do you want from me? What more do you want for me? Do you see you the goat appreciate you? Well, then I should have been your do's doose dog in the week.

You, my, you, you, I commented under your post. I said, my goat, my host. Like, what more do you work for me, bro? I show you the utmost love, the utmost respect. I hold you in high regard. and you just want to expose me on national expose our text thread for the world to see I love you I didn't I didn't I didn't I'm a stand-up guy you got me cussing all in the thread and everything I didn't share the video man what you think about that coach

coach I made a video for Marcus I was delivering I'm an eye guy though I mean this is a I get it now I've seen it before and it's what about me what about me what about me so that's good I love it that's good but that by the last was smacking That's smacking. Shm. S-C-H-M. Shammackable. You're welcome. Love you, brother. Love you too, man. Coming up next on the Triple Option presented by Wendy's, we take a look at the parody in college football. And, folks, it's at a level we have never experienced before. Rob, doose, Euse, Erbs, back here with you on the Triple Option presented by Wendy's.

Earlier in the show, we talked about Penn State falling at the Rose Bowl. UCLA. But we wanted to touch on one of the real positive side of that game. Former UCLA quarterback, the son of former head coach Rick Neuheisel, Jerry Neuheisel, took over as offensive coordinator, helped lead the winless Bruins to their first victory of the season. So where did this victory rank in his UCLA career? Take a listen. Coach New Heisel, you've been in some great moments is a lifelong brewing. Where does this one ring?

It's up there. The first thing I want to say is I love UCLA more than anything. And the kind of kids that you see that played on that field today is exactly why you love a place like this. We had two days to practice the new game plan. And all they did was believe. And we came out and played as hard as we could for 60 full minutes, had to take a safety at the end because we messed it up a little bit, but like, how can you not love

college football when you have days like this? Special, special, special. Great images of his dad, Rick, back in the CBS studio, watching the game live and his real genuine reaction and pride for not only his university, but obviously what his son was able to accomplish. Man, people forget, and I know you guys know this intimately, how much football family sacrifice. And to see that level of achievement, to see that level of gratitude and happiness and joy going across generations in the family, like I got little tingles in my leg in arms right now. That was just so, it was so cool. Say what you will about Penn State, but you can't not but feel happy about the New Heissel

family in UCLA. I've known the New Heysel family since early 90s, I believe. I was trying to go back. And he was at Colorado under Bill McCartney. And I was at Colorado State, and we became friends. And it just cracks me up when I saw that Jerry speak. That's Rick. I mean, that is the mini me.

And his wife was there, I think, Sue, and she's out there watching that game. And Rick got emotional about it, which he should. Yes. But there is so much greatness in college football to see. You talk about a guy that loves UCLA. I'm sitting there going, that's what you see with UCLA. And I almost want to say, well, where has that been? But regardless, they got it done.

and here's what I love about, you know, Heisel, Rick, and then obviously his son, how genuine they are. And what I mean by that is he was joking. He was honest about screwing up to take a safety, and then the fact that, you know, as an assistant coach, you're told to put your mic up here, if that makes sense. You know why? Don't be heard. Because don't be heard. That's not your time to speak. And he was, you know, for years, he's been popping up there.

And all of a sudden he's trying to call a play. and the mic's back here. I saw him say that and I started laughing, so I've been there, man. And Nico was saying the same thing. Like, a lot of times, plays weren't coming in

because Jerry wasn't hitting the button to talk to communicate. So they were just kind of figuring things out on the fly sometimes. So I'm going to throw this at you, Mark, and here's, I've always felt this way. The number one obligation of a coach is to get your guys to make sure

to their health and safety. That's by far number one. Number two, get them to play hard. Whatever, dangle the carrot, scare them, push them, make them love you, make them hate you. But when they put the foot in the ground to go as hard as you possibly can,

I went back and watched, because I had to, I wanted to make sure I was speaking correctly. They looked awful against New Mexico. I mean, like Mac players, and I shouldn't say it because Mac has great players, but awful.

And then you flip on the film and they are the better team. They're playing harder. They're playing harder. They're better coach, and I'd say better players than Penn State. Wow. And we know what that roster looks like. Wow.

So that's a credit to what went on in that locker room. No, 100% coach. The team is a direct reflection of your coach. So when you have a coach who cares about your players, put you in the best position to be successful and loves his players, you're going to have a team that wants to run through a brick wall for you. When a team respects their coach, knows their coach cares about them, there's nothing that that team won't do as far as playing hard with effort,

toughness and a great attitude to do their best ability to win the game. So it's crucial, the coach player relationship and, you know, how they pour into the team because you are a direct reflection of your coach. And shout out to UCLA and shout out to coach because they played their ass off last week, man, and they bawled out for show. And again, Jerry Newhazel saying they had about two days to put in the offense versus Penn State. do you remember who he went up against

who Penn State's defensive coordinator is? Oh, this guy who's the highest paid defensive coordinator in the nation, Jim Nolz. And he gets that result, gets those points, gets that out of his players. Really impressive. Now the UCLA Brass is like, great, now we got to consider this kid

who looks like he just got off the Malibu Beach with the long blonde blonde hair flowing, and now we've got to put him on the list of interview candidates. By the way, did Rick ever, played guitar for you, Coach? Oh, probably 40 or 50 times in my phone. On the beach, oh, yeah, on the Nike trips. He always did.

Oh, my goodness. Does he take requests? I sank a put on, I sank a putt in last year, a 15-footer to win the Peach Bowl Challenge, but I'll just throw that out there. Always comes back to golf with you at some point. Chicken, steak, or fish, or golf, what is it going to come to? All right, let's continue our conversation around what's going on with the Texas's and the Penn States of the world.

we're approaching kind of midterms for college football right now, and the parody that we're seeing is it's off the charts. It's unprecedented. Let's kind of set the stage. How about this, guys? We talked about preseason number one, Texas, preseason number two, Penn State. Let's throw preseason number four Clemson in here as well. Those three teams, not only are they not ranked.

They are a combined eight and seven, but just one and seven versus power four teams. You know what that one win is? Clemson over North Carolina last Saturday. Bill Belichick, things going from worse to worser. All the great names we talked about. Wow. Preseason for the Heismet, Nussmeier, Arch, Clubnik. Jeremiah Love is starting to get back there.

Lenora Sellers in South Carolina, DJ Lagway. These were all heavy names in the Heisman preseason conversation. They have certainly slipped out. And a bunch of dudes that we weren't talking about. Jeremiah Love's name should not be in there. He's still in the conversation, but that slow start by Notre Dame hurt them. So, Coach, you used to like to say there was roughly eight teams that had a legit chance to win the college football national championship. It feels like that number has expanded a little bit this year.

It is. I actually did a little homework on that. I used to call it the Elite Eight, and I would share it with our team and say these are the peoples that we have to compete against. You know, you had the normal Alabama, Ohio State, Wolverines, and, you know, whomever, Georgia, maybe. And then you had every once in a TCU show up in there or another program show up, you know, a Penn State show up in there. But now I went through this, and I'm counting over 30 teams that can till take a swing

and get into the play. 30? 30 teams. Now, I mean, there's some that are long shots, you know, you don't know if he's 5 and 0. But they're 5'0. They're 5-0. That puts them in the conversation. And that's without studying the personnel and all that.

But there's 30 teams, Mark, which... It's true, Coach. Because all you have to do is get to your conference championship. I want to throw this out here. There's a big question, why, and I know it's coming up here. And I just wrote this down. You know, the first question, the last five years of my career at Ohio State when the pro scouts came into my office, Mark and Rob, they would sit down, every one of them.

It used to be about how do they handle cover two? how they get off releases when they're a bump and run and how do they handle this, how they handle this? You know what the number one question was? How do they handle money? Because the majority, this is like several scouts told me this, the majority of football players lose their stinger when they get paid.

And I was like, wait, when I say lose their stinger, that means to play the game, when Mark Ingraham, if I was coaching Mark, I try to find a way to piss him off or make them hungry. Because that's our job as a coach. Because I don't know how to. you play the game unless you're pissed off or hungry. It's too violent.

It's too tough. This isn't all due respect to shooting three points and stuff like this is. This is a violent, tough-ass game. You better be pissed and you better be hungry. And that's what I'm hearing out there is there's a little loss of that hunger. Yeah, coach. I mean, imagine having seven figures in college. Like, I don't know if I'd be the same person who I am to this day.

You know what I mean? So finding a way to motivate kids seeing if kids truly do love football, Because even if money does come with football, you're still going to have a passion to be the best person at what you do. You're still going to have a passion to be the greatest football player you could possibly be. And that's why the character traits come into play more when you're recruiting a, when you're scouting a kid for the NFL, or you're bringing a kid in through the transfer portal. What is important to this kid, who is surrounding him, what matters to him?

I like that. They lost their stinger, right? The stinger used to be trying to get to the NFL and get that payday, right? It was, you know, when we were just to recruit. Lake Okeechobee and Bell Glade, and they called the muck down there. It was Belclay, Pahoki, those areas. And Charlie Strawn first brought me down there.

It was the best players in the country. You know why, Mark? Yeah. They were hungry. Hungry. It was the only way out. Hungry to get out. It was hungry to get out.

Charlie Strong brought me in there and said, this is how do you eat. And I saw it. Now, families depended on me. Yeah. Now I'm a college kid 19 years old. I'm driving around whatever I want to drive.

I'm not worried about a meal. I'm not worried about my house. I have people telling you're not. These kids are owning houses. They're owning vehicles. They got money in the bank, and I love that for them. Because when Blake Quorum was in at Michigan, what he was doing with his money was great, but he still had a passion and desire to be the best he could be.

Bejan Robinson. They great with NIL. He still had the passion be the best to be what he wants to be. So every single kid that doesn't apply to, but you have to be able to make sure you find the right type of character individual, especially when they're making this kind of money before they get to the pros. And then last thing, I'll close with this, Rob, where I hand it off to you, related that when you're hungry, what happens when you eat?

You're not hungry anymore. And that's how people would equate it to me and say, tell me about this guy, what's going to happen when so-and-so gets paid? And I saw about half my players, and I talked to them. They got paid. So that way of survival is no longer survival. Now, for the unique view that it doesn't matter if you're rich or not, I mean, you're still a dog.

So I don't know. You get that money, it's cool, but you won't mower that money. And the only way you get mowing that money is by eating even more greedier. So, yeah, you got to make sure you got the right one. You feel me? That's right. If you want that bananas foster for dessert, you got to keep fighting. You got to keep grinding.

All right. So getting paid, losing the stinger, that's still, that's part of this conversation. I think another big part of it is the transfer portal. Just a couple examples, right? Virginia. What a great season Virginia is having. I know the Friday night win at home over Florida State was that trigger, but they've been able to continue it sitting in the top 25.

They brought in eight defensive backs, right? We're just throwing some numbers out here. Illinois, again, not a traditional power. They brought in six edge and DL players. Florida State knew they had to figure some things out. They got three starting offensive linemen from the portal. Also, their starting quarterback. Indiana also got starting quarterback, also got their leading running back

and got two starters on the offensive line. Mizzou, they went to Penn State, picked up their backup quarterback, Prabula. Now he's a Heisman favorite. Mizzou is undefeated. So a lot of these teams are dip it into the portal and doing it correctly, Mark, not just getting guys, but getting the right guys that are the right guys for the right spot at the right time. Texas Tech?

Bingo. Miami? These are just a few of the teams that are like up here in this conversation. station. So when you identify, the transfer portal is, I think it's a great tool. Obviously, you want to build within your program, recruit the right players, but when you have positions of need, you go out there and you get them in that transfer portal, you get the right player who fish the culture, the right player who is hungry, has that chip on their shoulder, you can change your roster around. We're seeing it. You mentioned it in Missouri, Texas Tech, Miami going to get

Carson Beck and a few of their players on defense. You can change your, you could change the trajectory of your program by identifying the correct player and making sure that they fit your system. And so we're seeing that with Illinois. We're seeing that with Missouri. We're seeing that with Texas Tech, Virginia. You know what I mean? Let me add to that, Mark.

So here's two things that happen. First of all, when the transfer portal is taking the rich and the third, second and third stringers like Pubula leave. Yep. Okay, there's a lot to unpack there. one, you're losing a good player and you're losing death. But we're all human beings. Drew Aller with Perbuella right behind him is a much different player than someone that's

not very, and I don't know who's behind them. But I saw that last year. If I was James Franklin, I'd be playing Prebula like it did Tim Tebow and Chris Leak. I'm rotating them. Well, they had packages for Perbula. There was moments where Drew Aller was coming off the field. So human element is. And they lost him during the college football playoffs.

He has to show her out. I had Chase Young and Nick Bosa. You know who's with him? Jalen Holmes and Sam Hubbard, they were right behind them. So if you wanted to take a playoff, pal, oh, good. Good luck. There's a draft pick right behind you. And that's what you're seeing with the portal.

These like Alabama, Georgia, how they used to just stockpile all Americans that were third on the debt chart. That's not happening anymore in college football. That kid, if he's third on the depth chart, he's going to find somebody in the portal is coming to get him. And he's going to find a better opportunity and they're leaving. That's why you're seeing a parody in college football because you're not having all Americans three deep on the roster anymore. They're leaving for a better opportunity. And so it's good.

It's good. It's good and bad. You know, it's pro and cons for sure. You know what's really interesting, too, is, and Coach, you know this when you got those, I bet you had a bunch of GAs, right? And you're just like, go do this, right? Like, I don't know. Go do, some of these guys you just had to probably find a little bit of busy work for.

There's no, there's no time for busy work right now. Those GAs, those assistants are being told, hey, go watch the SEC, right? Let's say you're in the Big Ten. Go watch the SEC. True statement. And find dudes who are three, four, five on the death chart or guys who look like they're not getting enough playing time that can help us next year. How about this is happening as well, right?

Yeah, spending this amount of time watching dudes who aren't playing. So you know what's happening now, too, is when you go play a game, they have assistant coaches that will go watch the team warm up. and size them up. So go look at the backup offense line and warm up. And during the game, go see how they warm up. They're poaching off the roster.

And warm-ups. Hey, nobody used to watch that 42 to 7 game. Now they're watching them because guess what? Somebody that's potentially can help your roster is playing in that game. That is just crazy. I think the other thing with the money with the transfer portal coach is that we're seeing less and less. of people leaving early.

You're seeing more guys stick around their college program. Maybe it's their first, second, third, or fourth program. You know why I started? Because you get that, that money. Well, that's, that's it. If you look at the underclassman, the NFL draft, if you go from 2018 to 2025, every year it goes down.

So like 2018, 106 underclassmen went to the NFL draft. The next year, down to 103. And then to 99. In 2021, down to 98. Every year it's going down. Then a big jump. 2022, only 73 underclassmen went to the NFL draft, then to 69, then to 54.

Last year, bumped up by one. But now we're in the mid-55s instead of talking the low 100s. Yeah, man. Hey, you get the chance to go back to school, earn a degree, earn a degree, being college, being college, and make some money, coach. You don't make money until your second contract in the NFL. I'm not talking about the bonus babies, but the majority of. drafted players really make much less

than college football players until you get that second contract. Think about that. There's that hunger. There's the hunger that we're talking about. And some of these kids will never play a snap in the NFL. You go back to your college,

you go return for another year. You probably would have been undrafted. Now you're making $6.50, 7.50. You know what I mean? Close to a million. Maybe more. So, hey, man. Like, the NIL is affecting.

Think about Carson Beck, how many years he's going to have to play before he makes the same money he's making it Miami. Depends on what pick he goes. Yeah, he might go really, though. Depends on what pick he goes. Regardless, he's going to be just fine. You get up in that top 10.

You talk about that money. Generational money, man. You're talking about that real money. That paper. Yeah. So Coach was talking about usually there's maybe an elite eight of programs that could win a national title.

Now because of the bags, now because of the portal, because of everything that college has to offer. We're seeing that list. expand. We're going to talk more about that and also hit some of this week's big matchups when the triple option presented by Wendy's returns. Welcome back to the triple option presented by Wendy's Rob Urban. Mark, Mark, how was your lift this morning? Man, crucial. Shout to my boy, Gilliam. You know what I mean?

Went to the gym, got real righteous. Got that pump in. Oh, look at those guns. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. It's for show. It's for show and it's for dough too. You know that, coach. time now you good over there coat yeah I got someone trying to get there where it's palm tree day today oh man

you're good you need me to go handle the light way over see the only people who live in Florida know what palm tree day is right so who's talking to you right is that Queen Shelley talking to you no

who's bugging you who's bugging you right now coach the guy wants my number real fast what all right we're going to carry on without coach for a moment Somebody's showing up in coach's basement,

just randomly showing up in coach's basement trying to get his phone number. What are we doing here, Mark? I don't know people in my basement that I don't know. Palm Tree Day, man. It's the essentials down here. Mark, listen, if you're in my basement, you already have my phone number.

It's not, you know, this is Florida, so it's not a true basement. It's just like an extra level for people who are very fortunate. I want to get paid. You know? Somebody's looking to get paid, man. Those palm trees, by the way,

it's expensive to clean those palm trees. Palm trees. Listen, there's no basements in Florida because if you get under the water. Low level. Yeah, yeah. Oh, that was funny. Coach is very fortunate, thanks to Florida and Ohio State and many other places. And he has the extra level that he calls a basement.

But it ain't no basement. But it ain't a basement. It's a Florida basement. It's a Florida basement. It's a Florida basement, which means you got that, that money. This is great. I want to talk about the palm tree cleaners in Florida so bad, but we'll save that for another edition of the triple option. All right.

Time now to go three and hours. guys. We've got a question, and I love this. Colmarie 619. Hey! Colmarie? 619. That means they're from S-D-S-D, San Diego. And they start off yelling. Hey!

Hey! Next week, I'd love to hear each of your three dark horse, college football playoff teams, and why? It doesn't matter where they come from. So, Coach was talking earlier in the show that typically there's eight teams that really can make a run for the national title, again, with

college football playoffs expanded to 12 and now with the portal and nil and everything changing there are definitely some dark horse teams that can get themselves to the postseason so mark who as always i'm going to go last because i like to save a couple stingers for you right because i still got my stinger coach i got my stinger i'm going to let mark start in the muck with a couple dark horse teams that can make the playoffs starting to muck your mug boy a couple of dark horses so if you want to talk dark horses we got to start group of five first okay And group of five, the two teams are standing out to me. We all know how USF has started their season at a high level.

They're only losses to Miami, who is the number two team in the country. So you've got to grow group of five. You've got to go, USF, possibly Memphis. So those are two people to look out for in the group of five. Now, everyone counted Notre Dame out. They're three and two. They find a way to run the table. There's going to be some losses and some, you know, damage at the top of the list.

They find a way to get in with two losses if they run the table. Because why? The gold helmets and the brand and Notre Dame. They have their own slot in the college football playoff. So they continue to do their thing. So where I can hear Brady Quinn arguing right now, like complaining. Like, of course we belong there. We're an elite organization.

I do love Jeremy. I love in a year and year out. They got two bags, Jeremiah, I love, and you're price on big fans. But, you know, we'll see. So that's three dark horses for you there. Then if you want me to go to the Big 12, the cream of the crop right now is Texas Tech, that money that they spend on their raw. roster. They look for real. They're running the football at a high level. They got great

quarterback play. Not one, but two quarterbacks. And their defense looks to be top of the line. So right there, there's four dark horses for you to keep eye out on it. We only ask for three. We only asked for three. That's Mark Ingram. He over delivers with four. I'm always putting a little whipped cream with the strawberry on top. I'm a strawberry guy, not a cherry. Coach, coach, give me three teams that are dark courses to get into college football playoffs. That was just following along there. So I got Texas Tech.

I think there's certainly a playoff team. And what I like to do, Mark, you'll recall that every game, I mean, in the SEC, you just go out and I size them up. And I tried to do that when we go on the road, a big noon. I sized up Texas Tech. I think they could compete in the SEC. I really do. I think they got body types.

They got speed. They got some depth of quarterback we saw right in front of us, and they put it to Utah that day. next I got Notre Dame Notre Dame. Notre Dame's got a schedule where they're not playing a ranked team as of now the rest of the season. I can't believe that.

Notre Dame used to always play ranked teams every week. And then finally, BYU, I don't know a ton about them yet. There's a chance the old Big Noon might be making their way out there again. But BYU and the Big 12, I see them, Texas Tech, and then I see Notre Dame.

So we got a bit of a consensus. I know you like to wait for everyone to say their take so you can get shore is in. It's your turn now. Yeah. Well, here's the problem with batting cleanup with you guys is a lot of times you take all the good ones, right? So there's only one team in the nation that has yet to trail at any point this

season. Tech? Texas Tech. Number nine, Texas Tech. So we all agree Texas Tech is one of those teams. They're 5-0. They're two big games. Home to number 21, Arizona State next week, and then, Coach, you mentioned BYU. They are at Unbeaten BYU November

8th. I agree with you guys. on Notre Dame. They beat Boise State over the weekend. They're now at 3 and 2, which isn't that sexy, but it's a three-game winning streak. They moved up number five spots to number 16. Again, the brand of those golden helmets, right? Well, it's Notre Dame and they won. Of course, we got to move them up.

So they took a big jump. Their schedule, you guys talked about it, and you're right, it's legit runable, right? North Carolina State this week, then USC also home. That's the test, right? USC's got a buy week coming into their game against Michigan this Saturday. Let's find out how good USC really is. And then what's left for Notre Dame at a bad BC team this year. Versa Navy, who's always tricky against the Irish,

at Pitt, who just got blown out, versus Syracuse. Who knows what Coach Brown is up to with Syracuse? That could be tricky than at Stanford. So I agree. That's a pretty manageable one. Let me throw the third one out at you, and coach is going to like this one. 13th rank Georgia Tech. I like that a lot.

I like that a lot. Georgia Tech, five and no. I liked that a lot. No ranked teams on their schedule until the regular season finale versus Georgia in Atlanta. It looks like Georgia Tech should be in the ACC championship game at this point. And even a loss to Georgia, even a loss in the ACC championship game, that would be a two-game losing streak. So not great. But if they get a split, I think Georgia Tech's in the college football playoffs.

No problem. Let us know what you think. think, send us a comment, send us a thought. Send us more questions. We love to respond to them. Time now. A super dark horse? Super dark?

Why, you got another one? You already gave us four. You're going to give us a fifth? I'm just kidding. I'm just saying keep a peek for Arizona State with Sam Levitt out there. I'll buy that. I'll buy that. So Mark's giving you it.

We asked for three. Mark gives you five. That's the kind of guy he is. Two strawberries on top. We're going up tempo, guys. Two-minute drill, right? We're cracking. We're moving.

Two-minute drill is brought to you by Fand-Duel. visit fanduil.com slash triple option to download the app and take advantage of a 50% profit boost today. We're going to start with Mark's crimson tide. You know what's going on. On the road at Mazoo, Bama, favored by three and a half, the over under 53.5. Mark? Man, listen, man, we got another one.

We got a chance to prove ourselves again, and you're going to have to because you got, Bo Perbula, we know how he can be dangerous with his arms and his legs actually as a quarterback. So another challenge for this Alabama defense who has not been great stopping the run, but I'm very proud of how they responded last week because they gave up a 65-yard touchdown early in the game, but kind of was stout after that. I think Tim Keeney coming back, being the leader, the anchor of that defensive line, I think they've been playing with a new kind of energy, a new kind of swagger.

and everything's not always perfect, but they turned a ball over twice last week against Diego Pavel and Vanderbilt, and they stopped the run other than that long run by Cedric Alexander early in the game. And then I think offensively, Ty Simpson is playing like one of the best players in the nation right now. The playmakers that we have on the outside, Ryan Williams, Jeremy Bernard, Isaiah Horton, Jan Miller went for 136 yards in a touchdown last week. So I think this team is starting to click at the right.

moment. Now, Missouri is undefeated. They play really good defense. They play really good offense. And we're going to their place. So they're going to be ready to roll. But I like Alabama to cover the points just because I think that they plan with a chip on their shoulder. They're playing with a new swagger. They're playing with a new identity. And they have a tough opponent in Missouri Tigers. They're for real. They're undefeated for a reason with Ahmad Hardy. You talk about being able to stop the run. Amad Hardy is one of them dogs. Missouri's running. If you haven't watched them, you need to watch him because he's going to be a treat to watch. And he's a special player and he could give Alabama a lot of problems.

But with all that being said, I take minus three and a half. I take the points. I lay the points with the crash of tied today. I mean, Saturday. Saturday. Top ten showdown. Are you done? No.

You want one more Alabama? I don't give a piss about then, but the tide. There we go. Thank you. Coach, you're up. I got number seven at number three, Oregon. Oregon, minus nine and five, nine point five. It's started.

You've been hanging out with Dave Portnoy too long. You're pronouncing Oregon the way Dave does. Oregon. Oregon. All right, Oregon. Minus nine and five, but it's gone down. And I always trust Vegas. It's amazing over my career, how many times?

And someone said, boy, do you see what's happened here with this? No, not so much my career, but post career, watching what's happened with point spreads. And now it's eight and a half. Something's going on. A comment about Oregon. So Oregon played for two national titles. I watched them, I think it was Auburn, right, with Cam Newton? Am I correct there?

And then the second one was against the Buckeyes, us. And they never had the line in the trenches. They always had great skill, but guess what they got now? They have that line. So Oregon, you know, it's hard to, it's them and Buckeyes to me are the two best teams in the country. However, Indiana has also matched them in the offense line. We watched them me and Jerry DeNardo this weekend really close. They're not as athletic as Oregon, but they're big.

I'm going to pick Oregon to win the game, but I think it's going to be a little closer than eight-half. I bet it comes down to seven and a half in the next couple days. I think it's going to be a pretty good street fight. You know why? IU doesn't make mistakes. They tackle you. They keep the ball in front of you on defense. They don't turn the ball over, and they move the chain.

So I think it's going to be a great ballgame. Interesting. Both teams coming off of buys, Indiana, moving up one spot to number seven, Oregon, off that rousing win at Penn State, able to kind of breathe, take it in, come down, and then now build themselves back up. Again, by the way, we're talking a top – this still seems weird to me. A top ten showdown from the Big Ten, it's Indiana at Oregon. You're like, no, no, no, no.

That's not. No, that's not, Rob. No, Rob, but it is. It's legit. It is. The job, Kurt Signetti, you know, like, it could have been so easy to just Google him. My guy. Google one year at Indiana and be like, that's pretty good year.

Good job, coach. Good job. He's showing that he can sustain it right now. He gets a win at Oregon. Laud. Lawed. Indiana is a legit national title. I ruled for Kurtzignetti, man.

He recruited me in high school. I'm recruiting for him, man. It's hard to root against him, right? It's easy to Google him. It's hard to root against him. All right, I've got Red River rivalry from the Cotton Bowl. Number six, Oklahoma versus unranked Texas. Still feels weird to say that.

Texas guys favored by two and a half over under 42 and a half. Curious, will Sark let Florida beat the Longhorns two weeks in a row like James Franklin let Oregon beat Penn State two weeks in a row? Or, man, is this that, is that that smack? is that that hit that wakes up Texas and they finally come alive. Again, I think Texas is just too damn good not to be in the top 25. Arch Manning's got to figure things out. Two interceptions last week.

Took six sacks as well. Led them in rushing. Again, we talked about Texas needing to get healthy at the running back spot. You can't count on Arch Manning to lead you in rushing. He had 15 carries for 37 yards. That's not going to win it against Oklahoma. And that's not going to win it against a lot of teams. Oklahoma, down one spot to number six.

They absolutely throttled Kent State last week at home, 44-0. Again, they're doing it right now without John Mateer, had that thumb surgery. It certainly looks like he's going to be out for the Texas game. He might even be out for the next game versus South Carolina as well. So they brought in Michael Hawkins, got his first start of the season. Did pretty well, 14 to 24, 162, three touchdowns through the air, also ran one in with his legs, no interceptions, big one. They need a rush game, right, to back them up.

Tori Blaylock, Jaden Ott, they combine for 127 yards. That's good enough. But you know what we're not talking about? What's up? For Oklahoma? Talk to me. Defense. That's Brett Benevol's bread and butter.

Strong. Like, we've been given Ohio State their flowers for their defense, deservedly so. Don't sleep on the Oklahoma defense right now. Number two scoring D in the land. How many points a game, guys, do you think Oklahoma is allowing this season? 12. Remember, they just shut out Ken State. 12. Lower.

Eight. Lower. Six. Seven point two points per game. A touchdown a game? A touchdown again. The number one total defense in the land, 193 yards per game they're allowing.

You want more laud? Give me another laud. Because they have 21 sacks this season. Law have mercy. 21 sacks tied for second in the nation. I'm taking the under, and I like Oklahoma to cover. inside the Cottonball, one of the great scenes for college football. Before we go, we want to let all of our Michigan fans out there know, Coach, I know you're one of them, right, that the team up

north is going to be hosting the Athlete's First Tailgate Tour. It will be in Ann Arbor, Thursday night, October 16th from 5 to 8 p.m. ahead of the Wolverines Showdown against Washington. That game will be on Fox and a noon kickoff. Head on over to the Fiji House. My dad was the Fiji. The Fiji's know how to get after it, man. The Fijis know how to get after it. So head to the Fiji House, epic free tailgate. We got food, you got drinks, got music, special NFL guests,

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