The Triple Option - The Game, Lane Kiffin Drama, Michigan's Jake Butt Joins, CFP Rankings, Rivalry Week Picks

Episode Date: November 26, 2025

Two words: The Game. Urban Meyer, Mark Ingram II, and Rob Stone kick off rivalry week with the latest College Football Playoff Rankings and get into the Lane Kiffin drama ahead of the Egg Bowl in Oxford. We then have our first repeat winner of the Deuce Deuce Dawg of the Week and he's and R-BEAST filled with a lot of Love. Dan Lanning sounds off and the guys debate scheduling lesser teams. Former Michigan All-American tight end and host of "The Blue Print" Jake Butt joined the show to talk about leaving his home state of Ohio for that team up North, how Michigan turned it around, and that "odd duck" Jim Harbaugh. The guys go "Three and Out" with who are the best coaches in College Football right now including Ryan Day, Kirby Smart, and...Clark Lea? Thew then make their picks for Georgia-Georgia Tech, Texas-Texas A&M, and Ohio State-Michigan. New episodes of The Triple Option drop every Wednesday. Make sure you’re subscribed on YouTube and following on all podcast platforms. Also make sure you’re locked in on social @3XOptionShow on all platforms for highlight moments, bonus content, and to engage with the guys and the TO community. (⁠⁠https://tripleoptionshow.com⁠⁠) The Triple Option is presented by Wendy’s. Join Team Tendy’s and enjoy a line-up like never before. Crispy. Juicy. Tendy’s Now at Wendy’s. ⁠⁠https://www.tendys.com⁠⁠ Thank you to our additional sponsors Google – No matter what question comes next, you can just ask Google. ⁠⁠https://www.google.com/gasearch?udm=50&aep=46&source=25q4-US-JAG-YouTube-NCAAPo⁠⁠ FanDuel – Visit ⁠⁠https://Fanduel.com/TripleOption⁠⁠ to download the app and take advantage of a 50% Profit Boost today! USAA – Learn more at ⁠⁠https://www.USAA.com⁠⁠ #CollegeFootball #LaneKiffin #CollegeFootballPlayoff #OleMiss #Michigan #OhioState #TheGame #DanLanning #Oregon #NotreDame #Alabama Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

He said, I don't want these guys eating chicken. It's the nervous bird. He tried to get chicken banned from Cranington. And he was serious, right? Or is he being a goof? He was dead serious. Dead serious. Light it.

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. All right. We are live. Welcome to the triple option presented by Wendy's. As always, thanks for joining us. Let's go. If you can rate and subscribe it at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, wherever you get your podcast,

find us at social media 3X option show. New episodes coming away every Wednesday. So we've got a fresh one coming tomorrow. You can get it on YouTube or wherever you get your podcast. And again, we're going to be reacting every Tuesday night after the college football playoff rankings. That's why the three of us, Rob Stone, Mark Ingram, the second, Urban Meyer, are here with you live. All right, time now for any given Saturday.

We want to talk to playoff rankings that just came out the fourth installment before we get to it. Remember last weekend, Oregon had that rank test at home. They passed it by taking care of USC. Notre Dame dropped a 70 burger on Syracuse. Is that enough to get them and maintain them in the playoff picture? Utah barely kept their season alive with a scrappy win over Kansas State. Pitt might have dealt a death knell to Georgia Tech. And of course, the chaos that is Lane Kiffin and Oxford, Mississippi.

We're going to talk Lane in just a moment. A quick reminder about what the playoff format is. 12 teams make the playoffs five highest ranked conference champions. Get that automatic bid with the next seven highest ranked teams filling out the field. And again, the four highest ranked seeds, regardless of conference and regardless of their conference champion, they get a buy. Let's get right to the rankings right now, guys. And we're only looking at one through 12. it's a program, it's a couple programs just below this that are really intriguing for me.

Number 15 is Michigan, up three spots sitting at 9 and 2. So they move up to 15. How much value would they get in a victory over Ohio State Saturdays? They'd be in. You think they would be in? Because that doesn't guarantee the Big 10 Conference Championship game birth. It doesn't. But I think with them being at 15,

I don't know. If you, if they beat Ohio State. So the cut line is 10. The cut line is 10 right now. It is. You look at the top 12 right now. So again, Alabama for the second straight week sitting there at number 10. They are effectively, if you will, the last ranked team in because of what my, of what, you know, the group of six is right now in Miami, sitting there at number 12, holding on to a spot because they are the highest ranked ACC team, but still unlikely to go to the ACC championship game.

So let's start with Michigan at number 15. That's some work to do now, Mark. Yeah, they do have work to do. But it's number one and it's unbeaten. And that's worthy of at least three, four, maybe five spots. That's what I'm saying. They put them there with the idea. They put you in 15 with the idea.

If you beat Ohio State, you're going to jump five teams. I don't know. There's going to be some stuff that happens this week, too. There's going to be some fluctuation in this bracket. But the Miami sitting there at 12, they're not going to make the. ACC championship most and like more than likely because in Virginia they they they clinch with a win over Virginia tech SMU clinches the ACC championship with a birth over Cal and for Miami to win they need losses by at least two teams from the SMU Duke UVA grouping so

it's a long shot for Miami to make it in the highest ranking conference champ go so what would that do to Miami now bump them out stoner I I I you know they've got pit this week so they need to put a whooping on pit like Notre Dame did a pit because again, the committee talks about eye test, right, and also head-to-head and similar opponents, right? So we just saw what Notre Dame did to pit a couple weekends ago, and now it is Miami's turn to take on pit. Also, Miami beat Notre Dame head-to-head. Correct, correct. And we're going to see how much value that has, because obviously there's Notre Dame sitting there at number nine with two good losses, right?

Two good losses, to good teams, Miami and Texas A&M. As far as the rest of the movement that you're looking at here in the top 12, Oregon, they move up just one spot courtesy of that home ranked win over USC. So Oregon and Ole Miss flip-flop, the ducks at six, Ole Miss down to seven, and then one through five remains the same. Coach, you look at, let's throw the bracket right now real quick, just so we know what these potential matchups are looking like right now. And you see Tulane up there as the number 12.

seat as your group of six team right now. Currently, Tulane, Tulane ranked 24th for the second straight week. And again, there's Miami sitting there, holding onto a spot for now. And again, the cut line is Alabama at 10. So coach, not a whole lot of moving and shaking. I think the Michigan move was a big one. Utah and BYU still lurking. BYU remains at 11. Utah goes down one to 13 as the Big 12 tries to get more than one team into the college football playoffs. You wonder, you know, I'd like to, I talk to some people, you know, in confidence who have been on the, I'm not going to use their names, who've been on the committees. And you wonder how much it goes into, you know, matchups where they start, like, moving a team here and a team there.

Why would you move Oregon and hello Ole Miss? Because I guess the USC win, but, you know, did Ole Miss deserve to go down? And I keep looking at that darn Miami, they keep list of Miami, but they're not even going to play in that championship game. So you just wonder the maneuvering and the Wolverines going up to 15. You know, is that the Big Ten trying to maneuver something? Because right now they got three. They're three and out.

And, you know, SEC might get five in there. So, you know, I just wonder what if it's just strictly what they think the best teams in the country are, are they doing in order or are they trying to maneuver and saying, okay, let's give this team a chance. And I don't know. I think their job is to just get their best in order. I've told you for many, many times this year, when I was first exposed to the 4-4-2-2-1,

where the committee really all they do is see, they're not picking who's going in. That's all playing. I'm a big fan for that. You know, I still, I'm going to go on record saying that if there's a way somehow that each conference just sends their guys to the playoff, they determine that, not people,

but players determine it. you know but also here Stoner what's intriguing to me is Bama sitting at 10 you win you're in the conference championship game what happens if you lose the conference championship game to ANM

that's not supposed to punish you but it's not supposed to it's not supposed to I don't think it will I think that would set a really dangerous precedent but then that would be an Alabama team with three losses and now your group than with all these other three lost teams.

And then there's a slew of two lost quality teams like Miami right now. Like BYU could be a two-loss team if they fall in the conference championship game. They're setting a whole bunch of dangerous precedents right now, though. Because Notre Dame is ranked the head of Miami. Now, do I think Notre Dame is the better football team? Yes. So maybe that's the answer to Coach's point. I remember Alabama was held out of the 14th playoff because of a head-to-head lost to Texas.

So head-to-head clearly is a crucial criteria for them. So I think maybe that's why they have Miami still right there, but they're not going to be in their ACC championship game. So if they don't make the AC championship game, barring some chaotic stuff happening this weekend, how do they stay in the playoff pitcher? I don't think they do. I don't think they do.

I think a Michigan with the win over Ohio State, and we're going to talk about that tomorrow on the triple option. I think they jump. They easily jump. Wow. Miami. You know, the other question was, Oregon and Coach, you kind of touched on it. You know, they just move up one. You know, there was some thoughts, some belief that maybe they could have gone two spots, right, and Leapfrog Texas Tech as well. Does that one feel right?

Just giving them a one spot boost for you? Yeah, it feels right. You can't bump Texas Tech the way they played all year. Right. You know, I don't know. Once again, I look at this. The one intriguing is, more I said, and I just wrote down the conferences and who's going to go the one that's really that the wolverine's jumping up there because i agree with mark they win they'll be the best one of the year of anybody they win this one they won't make the big 10 championship or will they i can't remember that they won't they are they have they have the possibility but they have to win again or oregon is is above them in the pecking order indiana has per do on friday um but i agree

with maric wolverines when they're in yeah oh house state cleanss the big 10 championship berth with win over Michigan. Oregon clinches Big Ten championship birth with win over Washington. Ohio State loses. Oh. Michigan clinches Big Ten championship birth with win over Ohio State and at least one lost by either

Indiana at Purdue or Oregon at Washington. So they need a bunch of help. Yeah. Oregon's at Washington. Yes. Correct. That's a legit rivalry game. Correct.

That is a legit rivalry game. And yes. And by the way, they should probably be rewarded for that beyond just like getting to the Big Ten championship game. That is a quality win. This is a great question right here, Stoner. You see this right here?

Is this the year where group of five shouldn't be an automatic bid? This is what I'm talking about. I'm like, where does group of five just automatically get a bid? Like, I understand, but you're the 24th ranked team. How do you automatically get in? Yeah, Tulane's second straight week sitting at number 24. They've got Charlotte this week win and they host their conference championship game. Again, those are the rules.

And I'm an underdog guy. I'm a fan of the little guy. I'm a fan of opening things up to more than just the blue bloods, if you will. So that intrigues me. But, you know, if that group of six keeps getting pounded on year in and year out in the playoffs, I think there's going to be some real pushback saying, listen, this is, this was nice. This was a nice gesture on our part. Let me throw this out there, Stoner.

Mark, is that early in the year I said, you know, the SEC and Big Ten, don't be surprised if they get together because the projected losses and the fight. financial restrictions. I'm withdrawn all that. It's all nonsense. They're firing people and paying. There's no fiscal issues in college sports for what I've seen in the last month. So anytime you hear that, just go like this.

Maybe there's just no fiscal responsibility. There's issues in responsibility. I mean, stop. We don't have any money. Oh, my God. But the thing with the group of six is this. You have a chance to get into the playoff. You have to go undefeated, empower people, and be top.

in the top 12. You can't just be with two losses in the group of six and get an automatic bid over teams like, you know, you got Miami there, you got Vandy there, you got BYU, you got Utah. Who else in that top 20? Vanderbilt sitting there at 14.

Yeah, I don't even like Vanity. Look at Texas at 16. You know, if they get an upset win over Texas A&M, how much of a bounce did they get? I don't think as much of a bounce as Michigan, but they would get something for sure to make things interesting. I think Texas, because they got dog walked by Georgia, they're out.

Now, if they played Georgia close and they beat A&M, I think that's what would have had a chance for them to get in as a three-lossed team. But the fact that they got pounded, that I think they're out. It also feels like expansion is clearly on the way, the playoff committee and their partners agreeing to extend the deadline to have the conversation about growing the field in the coming year or years. so that clearly to me makes it makes it sound like they're working behind the scenes

to grow. 16? Yeah, I'm good with 16. Listen, I'm working the World Cup this summer and that is 48 teams. You know, that is essentially March Madness. And I like the chaos that it brings. I like the upset opportunities.

You can't play football every two days, though. Correct. Understood. But I will say this, though, Mark, you know, it wasn't too long ago where we were saying, no, no, no, no, no. we can't be having major playoff type games almost immediately after the season. These bodies need to get going, and then they got to go play another one, and then another

one, and another one. And then there was actually a question about academia, academics. The National Championship game is going to be two weeks after some schools start classes. Yeah. I mean, so again, guess what? They figured it all out. They figured it all out, and they made it work, and that's what they're going to do. They're going to expand.

I like 16. I think that seems like a safe. fair number mark i think that's going to appease the big conferences and i think that that gives that group of six team still a spot but then eventually they're going to come for that spot as well right right i mean i mean when a texas or an alabama or michigan is getting bumped for a two lane a southern miss a south florida people were going to be mad but they had a first round by they fixed that so there's some more fixing on the way. Yes, as always. They're tinkering and they've done some good tinkering as of late.

There could be some major tinkering in the SEC in the coming weeks. Okay, so let's get to this Lane Kiffin. I feel like every hour when I look at my phone, I'm either getting a text or a story update or some type of information about Lane's going here, Lane's staying there, Lane's doing this, Lane's that. It's been a fascinating conversation and as much as I thought Lane had kind of calmed himself down and and calmed the drama and the circus around his life, man, Lane is still Lane, right? He's still got that DNA and he can't, it's like he can't help himself. And there's one person who could solve all of this, could solve, where is Lane Kiffing

going to be coaching next year? LSU, Florida, Ole Miss, it's Lane. And if Lane wanted to solve it right now and say, I'm staying at Old Miss, this would have been done. Yeah. The longer it lingers out there and the fact that there's, you know, the fact that there's this, he doesn't want to use the term deadline, but the fact that it sounds like there's going to be some news right after the Egg Bowl just adds another layer of intrigue to this.

And coach, you know, I know people want to wait till the season is over to hire and fire new coaches, but man, this has been going on for a long time whether we knew it or not. Nick Saban, I think, made a comment that's not a Lane Kiffin problem, it's a college football problem, but this problem has been around for a long time and where coaches to start getting those phone calls in November. And the way it works, Mark, is they actually have a headhunter call you. And it's happened to me a bunch of times

where I'd get that phone call in October and November. And it's not the AD because the AD and even the coach, they have you spoke to the athletic director at Florida. No, I haven't. Now I talked to, you know, a third party person. So that happens all the time. And then, you know, the one with Jeremy Foley was the day the season was over.

he was in Salt Lake City and we met after the season. So this, and we were in the hunt for a BCS Bowl, and that ripped my heart out to Bill walk away from Utah at the time had never been to a, you know, it was a first non-power-5 or whatever you call it, non-BCS school to make it to a BCS bowl game. Incredible group of players. But it was, you know, there was a few that was upset, but most of them were congratulations, coach, you know,

and go win a national championship type thing. To me, this is a whole different animal. This is a group that realistically, Mark, when you watch Ole Miss play, that team really, they put a couple games together. They're going to be a national championship game. They really could do it. And I made a comment, and I saw the headlines, that this might haunt. How do you do that? You know, how do you walk into a team that's done everything they can?

And then I know, once again, Coach Kiffin's got to do what he's got to do. But that might haunt. You know, I use that word. I mean, how do you, what happens to that team after that? If, if, if, and Ole Miss probably do the right thing, say you've got to move on if you're going to leave. But you're not just leaving. You're going to, you're playing that same team next year.

Uh-huh. That same school. Uh-huh. And you imagine that the exodus of players that would leave also. So he, if this happens, he goes, say he's going to LSU. All the best players from Ole Miss where they're going to go. LSU. LSU.

LSU. comes into Ole Miss and Ole Miss that gave Coach Kiff in this job, you know, and all of a sudden they're decimated, you know. So it's a tough deal. And he's a really good coach. He had a great year. I like the guy. I've spent time talking to him. Obviously, he's a hell of an offensive coach. But this is uncharted waters, not because of the calendar, because that's always been there, just that you have someone that's in the hunt for a national title that could walk away. and that's what's the unchartered water piece. Yeah, like you said, Coach, they're a lock to go into the playoff.

I mean, you have your coach about to dip? Like, how do you go into the team meeting? Potentially dip. Potentially dip. But the conversations are out there, right? I mean, Lane is Lane. He could potentially be flirting with the opposition being like, yeah, I'm going to come to Florida. Yeah, I'm going to come to LSU.

And they'd be like, you know what? No, I'm going to stay here at Ole Miss. Like, who knows? Lane is a wild card of wildcars, man. Great coach. It's just a lot to deal with, man. I can't imagine being Trinidad Chambliss or Kwan Lacey, your RB1, and just knowing I'm in the fight to go to the college football playoffs

to do what we've been working for. And my head coach, our leader, is out here family on recruiting trips to Gainesville and the Baton Rouge. Like, what are we doing? You know, but every man has to make the best decision for themselves. I'll ask both of you. I'll ask both you, Mark, I'll start with you. How does it end?

Right now, the way you're, the tea leaves that you're reading, how do you think it ends for Lane Kiffin? He's in Baton Rouge. Baton Rouge. I don't like Baton Rouge. All right. Coach, what do you think? Really?

Coach, what do you think? That's kind of what I'm hearing, too. I heard it was Florida. That was before LSU open. Listen, LSU is a program who is not playing. They're going to throw the kitchen sink at whoever they want and try and get them there. You've got the governor.

He knows where all the money in the state is. He's got all the head, in the state ponying up and LSU wants to get back to being at the top of college football and they're not going to hold nothing back in order to do that and so they're going to give everything they got and they're doing it. They're giving everything they got and I think Lane ends up in Bayou, Bangle. I'm going to say this. I don't think it has anything to do with money.

I think it has to do with winning. I think right now he's putting together. He's winning at Ole Miss. But, I mean, it's going to, now is his chance and it's supposed to. to be was the 20.5 million or whatever, but they say it's nonsense. There's so much of the same stuff going on with the name and likeness that I think he's just negotiating the most expensive roster for the next five, six, seven years. Resources. Okay, so you make, one school offers you're 14, you get offered 13. Okay, okay. That just means more to charity

and more of your children. That's fine. But I think I know Lane well enough that this is not about that. This is about winning the national title. What's going to put him in the best position to win that? It's the thing that's missing. Only he can figure that out. Right. Two quick thoughts on that. Don't mess with happy, right? And it really does feel like he's happy in Oxford, right? The family seems settled. He can't lose in Oxford. He can't take care of him. Right. And that's why I think he stays. But you said he can't lose. I think he is a afforded more losses in Oxford than he would be in Gainesville. No, I mean, like he can't lose like he's not like lose football game.

But I'm talking wins and losses, you know, I think the heat is always going to be hotter. Oh, the leash is shorter at LSU for sure. The leash is shorter, uh, the seat is hotter in Gainesville in Baton Rouge than it is in Oxford, right? I think his family is really settled and content there. And if, if Lane really is a different lane right now, then it seems like Oxford is the logical step. And here's another thought. And you know me and my closet professional wrestling fandom, right? This is like classic staging for like a WrestleMania, right?

There's just nothing but curveballs over here. And I'm sending my family to Baton Rouge. Oh, that must mean he's going to Baton Rouge. And my family's going to go look at Florida. Oh, everybody, he's like misdirecting everybody away from where. And he's got a team to get ready to get for the... Correct coach. But he's not going.

He didn't go to those two places. I think he's sending misdirections everywhere, and he's getting that full confirmation of what he wants, whether it's resources, assistant coaches, facilities at Ole Miss to set himself up for a hotty-toddy, hardcore run. I told you, Stoner, he could easily be messing with the ops, throwing them off their hand. I kind of like that. Like, he could easily be like, you know what, LSU, I love you. Florida, I love you. I mean, my gosh.

You know what, I'm staying here. He's got a rivalry game in two days. Lay Kiffin is the wild card. He is the Joker, the big Joker in the card deck. You don't know what he going to do. He's going to pull that card out. You don't know what it's going to be. And once that card is played, and once that card is played,

everything's going to start falling in place. Already some things have already, right? We got a new head coach at Oklahoma State, North Texas as well. So that's it. Who's another team in a playoff hunt? That's crazy. Coming up next on the triple option, Mark picks his doose, deuce, doge dog of the week, and Oregon's Dan Lannning sounds off.

Welcome back to the triple option. Time now for the deuce, deuce dog of the week. Mark, I think we've got ourselves a repeat winner, huh? There you go. Big bite now. You know what time it is, coach. It's time for that deuce, deuce dog of the week. And yes, we got a two-time winner for the first time.

It's always the right time, you know, for the first time. And we got a two-time winner for the first time. And I'm going with Jeremiah Love, the R-Beast. I'm telling you right now he's number one on my Heisman ball. Everyone wants to tell you about the quarterbacks. They want to tell you this. They want to tell you that. But no, the Heisman trophy.

That trophy right there goes to the best player in the country. Tops in the country, scrimmage yards. Tops in the country, total touchdowns. and just this last weekend. Only eight touches, Coach. Eight touches. 171 yards and three touchdowns. Come on.

And a half of football. Basically, a half is a plus, a little half plus. But two and a half quarters, eight carries, 171 yards, three touchdowns, 21 yards of carry, a 68-yard touchdown run, a 45-yard touchdown run. And they gave the Syracuse the biggest beatdown since 1893. We've given you a history lesson out here. Not only are you getting the dog of the week, you're getting a history lesson. Jeremiah Love, the number one Heisman trophy contender on my ballot,

and he is one of the best players in the country. Jeremiah, love for a doce, deuce, dog, utter week. 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, real quick to wrap up the Syracuse conversation. We had Fran Brown on in the offseason. We were all really impressed with his words, his demeanor, how he's handled things, particularly last season. This year has been a different, has been a different bird, man.

It has been tough sledding for the orange. Big Fran Brown fan. He's a great coach, man. It's just, man, catching on the wrong side of things this year. I know it's nothing to do with them. I know it's nothing to do with them. Here's my concern is the momentum has always been a major factor in college sports. sure it's ever been as criticals now.

He's got to get that momentum back, or that could end really bad. And once again, there's plenty of great coaches out there, lost momentum. I've seen it. I've been, I fought that because once you lose momentum with all this transfer shit and everything else, you better somehow get the momentum back. And he better do that. If he had a good year coach, his name was going to be out there for a lot of these openings, right?

And now it's back to, back to the ground zero one for France. But I think the smart ADs out there, like, all right, let's just keep an eye on Coach Brown here because he's got a good future and he's got a good fight in him. And I'd like to see Syracuse get back up off the floor after that beat down last week. All right, time now to sound off.

Oregon took care of USC 4227 and Eugene on Saturday. Their head coach, Dan Lannning, one of our favorites, whether it's on Big Dune kickoff or here on the triple option. He had some thoughts about how maybe another conference that he's familiar with plays, let's call it, less than competitive games right before Thanksgiving. I think Bruce's in the pudding, right? Played a good team.

We beat him. All we can do next week is try to do the same thing, right? And this conference is a really good conference. It's competitive, right? We didn't play Chattanooga State today, right? Like some other places, right? We competed. So, you know, that being said, it's tough playing nine conference games.

It's tough playing in this league. And we got to take advantage of playing a good team today and attacking that. Chattanooga State. I don't even think Chattanooga State exists. You know it's bad. If they did, I think I played it when I was in Florida. We played some bad ones. Whatever there's directional, like,

whenever there's like more than one direction on your school name, you know that's like a school that the SEC wants to book right before Thanksgiving. I know there's two sides to this story. So, Mark, I'll start with you as an SEC guy. And I know, you know, listen. Listen, no, I'm going to let you go ahead and do it. But there is this conversation every year that this time of the year, SEC teams tend to schedule schools that you have to look up and say,

I don't know where that school is or what they do. Well, everyone else schedules them in the first two and three weeks of the season. So what's the difference? I mean, we got Indiana, who is your outright favorite team. They played Old Dominion, Kennesaw State, and Indiana State their first three weeks of the season. So I love Dan Landing. I'm going to let him live here.

But they played Montana State and Oklahoma State to start. So really, what's the difference? You're going to let him live. I'm going to let him live because I like Coach Landing. And he's a fan of the show. And he's a fan of the show. But at the end of the day, there is no comparison between Oregon schedule and Alabama schedule. Oregon schedule and Georgia schedule.

Oregon schedule and Florida schedule. Yes, it was Cupcake Week in the SEC other than one or two games. But also, Notre Dame played LSU. LSU played Notre Dame early in the season. You know, we played Florida State. Like, we had some schedules early in the year. We had some, you know, Florida State didn't end up being worth a damn this year. But, you know what I mean?

Just because they scheduled theirs for the first two, three weeks of the season, and we scheduled ours in the back end, it doesn't matter, man. There's no difference in the scheduling, man. And listen, Dan Lannon, he coaches Oregon. Well, it's Oregon, a big 10 school. So I appreciate you, man. But I got you a clip right here, Stone look. I got you a clip right here.

I'm going to show you a little. This is Dan Landis. Oh, here we go. A unique and special about the SEC, obviously, is every week you're going to play a real team. Well, I mean... Yeah, so that's him in the Georgia... That's him in a Georgia polo.

So, yeah, I mean, you're going to support who you support, man, but that's coming from the horse's mouth right there in the Georgia polo. Look at Mark Ingram doing bonus research this week. All right, executive producer, Mark Ingram, and hate on the boys, man. So I got to...

Yeah, I know what's real. man, let's be real. All right, so point, counterpoint. Coach, we swing it back to you. I coached to Bowling Green and we went into Missouri and won. You know, I remember Appalachian State beating the team up north and one of the greatest upsets in history. But I've also, I always worry about player safety and I'd look out there at times, Mark, and we did. We, you know, we played some teams that really should, we shouldn't have been playing, you know, just the physicalness and, you know, you start having that mindset of what, I got pouncey's blocking this guy that they shouldn't be blocking this guy.

So I think there should be some kind of guardrails. I don't know what they are. I'm not a, you know. The guardrails is that team gets $2 million to come play. Yeah. Yeah, but I promise that three techniques not getting any of that money. Yeah, he's not. You know, and he's the one that has to do it.

So I always just worry about the safety of those guys that, and I saw some stuff that you don't want to see. You know, you know what I'm talking about. I'm not talking about Bowling Green and Toledo, because those are, you know, those are, I'm talking about some, and I won't say the name, some of these teams have no business. And I'd look out there and go, oh, my God, you know, and I, in my mind. Did you ever pull back a little bit?

Did you call some of the horses off? Oh, absolutely. You know, you have an obligation. Then all of a sudden you have a Heisman trophy kid, you know, like a, you know, some of you're trying to get a Heisman trophy to and you pull them out in the first quarter. So I'm not a fan of it, to be honest with you. I think there's got to be, and that's up to the head coach in AD. I would not if I, you know, some of those schedules were done before I had, was that Florida.

And I know you said like Montana State. To me, Montana State's different than some of these ones. Old Dominion? Yeah, I think Old Dominion, I don't know enough about them, but that would worry me if I was. Indiana State? If I'm the head coach of Old Dominion, I'm not doing that. I'm not doing it. But you know why?

Because, well, we need $2 million. You know, I'm not going to get that. That's going to go to, you know, other sports too. So I don't know. I have mixed emotions about it, but I think there's a certain level. Everyone got these teams on their schedule. It ain't just the SEC. It's just ours was later in a year than some of the other people's.

That's it. Yeah. And I think when a season is just starting to, people are just so happy to see college football that they're not delving into the strength of the schedule in the opening three weeks, right? But as things play out, and you're like, oh, we're trying to figure out just how good are you program, A, B, or C.

And then you've got Southwest Missouri Technical Institute of Lower Long Island on the. schedule, right? And you say, well, this is a joke. I will agree with Mark, though, because we had two years in a row, we had the hardest schedule, and we played like as when I say Alabama's this year. It was every week. Yeah. And I had that

before, and I saw that game Citadel or Western Carolina coming. As a coach, you're like, just get us to that game. Yeah. Because I mean, it is, I'm looking at my players, and some of them won't practice until Thursday, because they're so beat up from that schedule. And then finally, deep breath,

and now we're going to go on a stretch run. get it. I get it. I've been there. I mean, Georgia has wins over the current number six, number 16, number 18, lost to the current number 10 by three, and they still play the current number 23, while Oregon's combined record of their opponents is 44 and 55. So you talk to change the schedule is not a comparison. All right. Well, when two programs look at their schedule, they already know what's coming on that last Saturday in November. Coming up next, we talk Ohio State, Michigan. the game. It's Rivalry Week, and we bring in former Wolverine, All-American, Jake Butt, to talk the game next on the Triple Option, presented by Wendy's. Light it. We welcome you back to the Triple Option, presented by Wendy's Rob Urban, Mark, back here with you. Time now to get a little Michigan flavor for this podcast of the Triple Option. We're joined by Two-Time, Big Ten, tight end of the year.

Two-time All-American. American, 2016 John Mackey Award winner and host of the Blueprint podcast. Mr. Jake Butt joins us now from Chicago. Jake doing magical work with Big Ten Network as well as the podcast. So yeah, welcome to Michigan-Ohio State Week, man. Do you like literally wake up that Sunday morning of the week of the game and everything changes in your life? Oh, yeah.

I mean, you still get butterflies. And I'm just wondering, Coach, what color is that polo? Is that a light blue? Oh, man. no it's certainly not it's certainly not no it's uh it's certainly not blue it's some kind of green or something change the color setting on your on your podcast uh camera there jake yeah yeah hey listen man i i i you know i was born in columbus mount carmel there on campus and this is you're literally born into this rivalry when i was a baby i was wrapped in the scarlet and gray they i had like a dollar

and then a Buckeye and they have the baby go choose, and I chose the Buckeye as a baby. When you're growing up in Columbus, Ohio, it's true in Ann Arbor. Your emotional state is riding on the success or failure of those teams. And, I mean, it is a 24-7, 365 day a year job to prepare for this game. It's the greatest rivalry in all sports. And, you know, this year is a good example,

as it's been in recent years, of having stakes where it matters more than just the result on the field. So it'd be a fun matchup this weekend. So Jake came out of high school the year. I believe I was hired, right? And was, I think, did Wormley come out that same year, too, from up in Toledo area? He was a year above me. Yeah.

Okay, but the Wolverines went hard into Ohio recruiting, and I kind of lost it. You know, I remember our staff and like, how, you know, that shit's not supposed to happen. And then you were recruited, and I don't remember all the details of it. I'm going to obviously pass the buck on this one because you became a great player. But you caused a lot of coaches to get their astute pretty good about losing an Ohio boy to the team up north. But it's amazing. Their best players come from – no, I'm just kidding. Their best players do come from Ohio.

Do you know that, Mark? Both Heisman guys, Woodson and – Yep, Woodson. And, oh, my gosh. Desmond. Desmond, he's a Cleveland guy. Woodson's near Toledo. So I want to jump right into this.

So I've always wanted to ask this question. I was hired, and Jim Trousel pushed it, obviously, Woody, and I took a garbage can, and I had all the equipment guys, just everything blue went in the garbage can and went out for the thumb. Every blue marker, if there's a blue eraser, if there's blue anything, and I'd lose it on. And, you know, it wasn't silly. I just wanted to, you know, I just wanted to make sure that was an absolute priority. You put clocks all over the facility, and we took the game. And that was a 365 game.

What do I mean by that, Jake, is in the offseason, we also had Team Up North Week. I was constantly running documentaries because the further we started recruiting from the, you know, the traditional Ohio base. And you're bringing kids from Texas, Zeke Elliott from St. Louis, and Ray Kwan McMillan, I wanted them to learn, breathe, and live this robbery. And so it was just nonstop education. I'd actually test them on the rivalry. And then in summer we did team up north days, and then we had practices during training camp. Every third day, we had a team up north period.

So here I am talking to a former great Wolverine player. You played for two coaches. You played for Brady Hoke for two years, and then Coach Harbaugh for two. Is that correct? That's right, yeah. Can you take the listener to what it was like? I think people know the Ohio State way that we did it. Was it the same?

because I want to add a preface here that you also got that little boy or the little brother stuff, the Michigan State robbery. Ohio State's got one. So take us a little bit what's behind the scenes at Ann Arbor. Well, even just hearing you talk there, I mean, I can just, I feel it in my soul, like my solar plexus, my heart. It's just, it's different. It's the greatest rivalry. And I think it really even starts when you're a child. I mean, you know, in Pickerington, we'd have watch parties. and when it was Ohio State Michigan week, it felt like the entire city shut down, like the world faded away,

and everybody comes together to watch that game. And then I remember as a kid, when it's halftime, you grab a football and you start playing, you say, hey, one day I want to be like Ted Ginn or Charles Woodson. I want to be like Desmond Howard one day. And those players, like, that started for me as a kid. And then you find yourself in Ann Arbor or Columbus for the Buckeyes, and it's every single day you're working for that opportunity to make your mark

and an impact on that rivalry. That's where legacies are defined by this game. You know, for Brady Hoke, it was the same thing, Coach. It was no red, no green in the building. We ended every meeting with beat Ohio. You know, for me as a player, after every lift and conditioning, when it was late and I was getting tired, I'd have the strength staff say,

remember, they didn't want you. They didn't think you were good enough. And that was absolutely a driving factor for me as a player. Coach Harbaugh, we didn't do that initially. When Coach Harbaugh first got there, was kind of of the belief of, hey, there's no added emphasis that needs to happen for this game. If anyone needs to get you excited, then you're not the right person.

We didn't have any of that. But ironically, since this run started going back to 2021 when Michigan first one, that's when Coach Harbaugh did start to make the change. They went back to banning red in green in the building. And he started to implement the beat Ohio drill, which is just inside run, Mark. You know that. It's inside run. Hit somebody in the mouth.

Yeah, it's basically an Oklahoma drill for all 11 guys. And Michigan named that beat Ohio drill to just subtly condition yourself that this one is different. It requires more than whatever it's required for every other game. It requires everything you have. And there is a mental factor about this game. No bigger, you know, way to show that than what happened last year. Last year's result was 80, 90 percent mental. So that is a big piece in this rivalry.

You talk about, you know, this rivalry being mental. These rivalries, they're won by hitting somebody in the mouth. That's why you say the Ohio drill, inside run drill, like, that is the epitome of a robbery. Whoever plays the most physical, whoever hit somebody in the mouth wins the game. Nobody for Ohio's dad has won a game. What was your record in the game? Oh, and four. Oh, so you have won a game.

Real nice, Mark. Way to make him feel welcome. Man, I'm sorry, bro. But I'm just saying, like, what goes through that team's mind? We're going through the player's mind right now when this Ohio State's in the drop right now. What's going through their mind right now approaching this game? Well, I'll just tell you, it's, listen, I take no offense to it. I, you know, I was a great, I'm a good example, though, of that because I did have a great college career. And I loved my time at Michigan.

Fired a college career. Yeah, and I, yeah, I had a lot of individual success and, hey, we want, we had back-to-back 10 win seasons in Jim's first two years and we want to bowl. But it doesn't, it doesn't matter. like the first thing you're asked when when you say hey i played football at michigan or ohio state what was your record in the game you know that's that legacies coach urban like your legacy you're a great coach period but your record in the game is a huge huge part of how bucky fans identify with you and that mark what you're talking about is a big piece of this because there's no one in the ohio state locker room knows what it feels like beat

michigan that is a crazy thought and then the flip side for Michigan is they they have the benefit of saying all we know is beating Ohio State. And you know for any great athlete, like belief is one of the fundamental factors that drives your success. Michigan has the ability and the, you know, the data to say they have found ways to win in the game. That plays a factor in their belief, which plays a factor on Saturdays. So with the Blueprint podcast this week and you guys are scheming how Michigan is going to get another win in this rivalry game. Where are the places on the field or off the field that Michigan, you believe, is better

than Ohio State right now? Well, better. That's a long pause. That's a long pause, Jake. Well, I think Michigan's strength is at the line of scrimmage. But I think Ohio State, it's less clear here because Ohio State has done a good job and bringing in Matt Patricia, I think Ohio State has taken major steps forward on their defensive line of scrimmage.

I don't see Michigan running for 300 yards on Ohio State like they did back when Hassan Haskins was there in 2020. It's going to be an absolute battle. I think Ohio State's offensive line has taken strides. That's Michigan strength and always will be. Special teams is a concern. That's where Michigan had a major advantage last year. Special teams is a major concern in Ann Arbor.

But I think where Michigan needs to be better in this game, it's going to be low 30s, chance of snow. I expect Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate to play. The two edge rushers, Derek Moore and J. Sean Barham, they need to get after Julian saying early and often. He hasn't really been hit this year. We don't know how he's going to respond to being hit and driven into the cold turf. And you do that early and often.

That's going to affect his confidence and his ability to get the ball out to the wide receivers. Coach, that's how they won in 2021 with C.J. Stroud and all those Ohio State wide receivers that are, you know, making hundreds of millions of dollars in the NFL. It was Aiden Hutchinson and David O'Jabo. I think they had something like 15 pressures on the day and just made life horrible for C.J. Proud. Michigan's defensive line has to do that for Julian's saying this weekend. I got to go, this is pretty deep here. So the history of the robbery, it's really interesting. It's a very, and once you get into a, what's the word I'm looking for, when you go on a run,

You know, it's streaky. It's a streaky robbery. So Woody Hayes had complete control of that robbery for a while, guys. And then they hired, they went and got one of his protagesage, the guy named Bo Schembeckler. Bo Schembeckler beating with the super, you know, beat the team that was defending champs in 69. Then it went into a 10-year war. After Woody left, a guy named Earl Bruce came in. And that was the only real time where Bow and Woody were pretty much, I think it was five and four. Earl Bruce and Bo and Bo were five and four, and then Earl leaves. Coach Cooper comes in, and that's when Lloyd Carr, and they kind of take over.

At first, it's Gary Mueller, then Lloyd Carr, and they go on a long run, very advantageous Wolverines. That brought the hiring of an Ohio boy, Jim Trousel. Jim Troussel flipped a script. I believe we went nine and one in the rivalry. We had the bad year in 11, and then I come in,

and then I come in, And then when you look at what happened, I just wrote this down as you were talking, Jake. So 1819, Buckeyes won, Buckeyes won, and then 20 was the COVID year. That was a really bad year for Coach Harbaugh on the Wolverines. And then they went on the run. Obviously, a lot of things happened behind the scenes. You being a former player, what led to the, you know, I don't want to dive too much in the Conner Steyas because that's been ran over so many times.

But what happened from 2021 to all of a sudden they're lifting the crystal ball, what was in the 23, right? Yeah. I mean, you went from dead and gone to all of a sudden. I remember watching as an analyst. I'm like, well, wait a minute. What the hell? Where did these guys come from? That's a much different looking team.

That team in 20 would have got beat probably pretty bad. And then it was a complete, it was one of these. And I'm curious because you're associated with the Wolverines. What happened? well i mean there was a lot of michigan fans that were calling for coach harball to be fired i mean think about how crazy that there's a lesson in that for a lot of fan bases right now too i mean there was one one point oh and five in the rivalry oh and right yes yeah and there was some games where i mean 2016 you know we shouldn't have lost that game we shouldn't there was there was opportunities

uh in in that that covid year was an inflection point you know coach harball the staff went much younger. He went much younger and getting Mike McDonald, who's the current head coach for the Seahawks, that was a brilliant hire, really bright young mind. Michigan's defense took major strides. And then when he left, they got the next in line, Jesse Minter, also from that Baltimore Raven. So schematically, Michigan was able to kind of compete with who Ohio State wants to be on offense. I think the big issue, though, coach is Ohio State lost their way defensively, particularly in the front seven, Michigan was able to just run it down their throats. That 2021 game, I couldn't believe watching the film where Michigan is running in

between the tackles mark, and you had Ohio State linebackers unblocked, blocking themselves behind defense. I couldn't, that is, that's not this rivalry. That is not this rivalry. Son Hanskins had five touchdowns that day. And five, that's what changed. Michigan dominated the line of scrimmage for these past few years. And that's, you know, that is the exact, you know, difference maker and factor in that game. So you think the, I'll let turn us over to Mark in a second. You think the in the addition of those younger coaches, because I remember it used to be the Don Brown show and then and then they made that change.

And you saw, you saw that I remember now and they just, it changed dramatically and you obviously players. But you feel like the younger coaching staff came in and helped flip that thing. Yeah, because you know, Don Brown statistically had great defenses. They're number one defense, a number of years, but I mean, you saw it. He played cover

one and that's it. He played cover one and did not disguise it. And playing against Ohio State, that's never going to work. You're just going to get into bunch formations and run crossers and pick plays. Michigan's never going to win that track meet. So in comes Jesse mentor and Mike McDonald, who come from an NFL background, and they were able to have punches

and counterpunches and adjustments that made the life schematically much more challenging for Ohio State. But then, of course, the players too, though, coach, the players too. I mean, J.J. McCarthy, I know he's struggling right now. First round picket quarterback, you know, Blake Corum, Donovan Edwards, the receivers, the offensive line, Aiden Hutchinson. I mean, the players were as good as Michigan had ever had. And of course, that matters. So how's it going to play out? Yeah, what's the recipe for Michigan upset for the, what, fifth or six year in a row, 50 year in a row? What's the recipe? I need the recipe from the man himself. They need to get after Julian Sand defensively. That is the most important

thing. If he's standing back there in clean pockets and throw into those guys, I mean, it doesn't matter if you cover him. I mean, Carnell, Tate and Jeremiah are two of the best contested catch wide rescuers. They have got to get after him. If he's, If Ohio State scores 30 points, Michigan can't win this. So Michigan's defense has to hold tight, and they got to force some turnovers. And then the flip side is going to be Michigan has to win at the line of scrimmage. And I think the chess match here, guys, is going to be really interesting. It's Matt Patricia.

It's an NFL background. You've got Caleb Downs, high IQ, Swiss Army knife chess piece, Rvel Reese, Sonny Stiles, the most athletic linebackers in college football. But they run three down front, four down front, five down. penny front in Michigan has starting three redshirt freshman offensive linemen they have an 18 year old freshman

quarterback schematically that changes your calls it changes your protection we also what happened to Arch Manning and Sark week one they were lost trying to figure out what Matt Patricia was throwing out there coverage wise that's that is the most important thing here is can Bryce

Underwood lead this team to scoring 21 points while avoiding turning the ball over you can can't give Ohio State any short fields. And then I'll say this. For Andrew Marsh, he's going to be their punt returner this weekend, the freshman, been having a good season. You need a Desmond Howard type play. He needs to return a punt back for a touchdown. A momentum swinging play on special teams is going to be required for Michigan. Hey, Coach, go ahead, coach. I got to go there. I think this is the first time that I've ever

asked this question. So this will get some traction. Jim Harbaugh. I got a A lot of respect for him as a coach. Obviously, he's killing it in the National Football League. And the day he was hired, I remember saying, oh, boy, here we got a, the guy's a rugged guy. He's tough. But he's also a different duck man. When he got hired, they did the, they did, we're going to go see the Pope in Rome. We're going to go to IMD.

We're going to do the signing with the stars. I'm going to go coach without my shirt off at camps across the world. And I remember I'd come in, because every day I'd have a guy on our staff. Tim Hinton was in charge of that team. I want to know who they recruit. What are they doing? And all of a sudden, I'm like, oh, they're going to Rome.

What the hell are they doing? So I go to AD, I said, we're going to Rome next year then. You know, and you know how that goes. And I know John Harbaugh, actually pretty well back in the day when I was a special team's coordinator. I met his father a few times. Great respect for that family. But he's a different duck.

So I say that respectfully. So, Tommy, I would actually, this is hilarious. And Mark, I'd bring him a different duck. I'd bring recruits in, and I knew recruit the both of them. And this is when we had it rolling pretty good. And I'd say, tell me what you're, like, I'm in here pounding away in academics, Real Life Wednesdays, da-da-da. Tell me about Coach Harbaugh.

What does he hammer away? And every one of them, you know, he's kind of aloof, he's this, he's that. And I'd be like scratching my head saying, what makes that guy as good as he was in the NFL and obviously he went into the title? Oh, he is a different duck. but that's when it's genuine and when you're in a locker room like the players lean into that

we all loved it it was funny it was you know it helps break up the length and challenge of a season when he does some of his little gimmicks it is funny I mean why he's a why what he does that's so special

I mean he demands and coach you're the exact same way like he demands your best every single day the number one thing he did is when he first came in there for spring ball. We had the infamous four-hour practices. So normally you do an hour and a half of meetings and then two and a half hour of

practices. Jim said, you only get better at playing football by playing football. So all four hours were practice. He also split the team in two. So you'd go out there for two hours by yourself. Then the second team would come out and overlap. And then the second team would be out there for two hours by themselves. So coaches were out there for six or seven hours.

And basically his whole thought process was, at the three hour mark he was going to blow the horn and say this is when you guys lost games everyone says they want to win and be great but that final hour of a four hour practice just turned on the tape you figured out who actually wanted to be there right away he also ranked every player from best to last everything was competition everything was tracked you knew if you were the worst player on the team wow he did it pre-spring post-spring pre-camp ball camp everything was measured tracked everything was a competition there were systems in place we were tracking those systems to see if we were getting closer to our goals and then i think one of

the big magics for any great coach is the ability to hire quality assistants too assistants want to come be a part of jim harball because they know he wins and that's going to further their career so it's all that stuff and i mean he again coach he made a big impact on my life i mean he was great for me and my family and you know i value my time so much with Joe Charle. Yeah, what was your highest

ranking on that list, Doug? What was your highest? I was number one at one point. Let's go, let's go, Jake. I remember trying to

defend them. You're damn right he was. Yeah. Jibrill and then Jordan Lewis. It was us three at the top at one point. What about Rishon,

Gary? Roshan was young at my point when he was like a freshman. So he was somewhere in the top 10, top 20. The reason I bring that up, Jake, you'll laugh is you know him

and you know me fairly well is that so the big 10 meetings. That's the only time I'd ever really see him. And we went to like a charity event, Michael Phelps event. And I remember, you know, it's just because what do you say? I don't really have much to say to the guy and, you know, vice versa. And there's a big picture going on of all the celebs there.

And I'm on the farthest one and he's on the farthest one. And I kind of know where he is. And I just, nothing against. I just have nothing to say. And if the big 10 beatings started at 10 a.m., Mark, at 9.59.5, I'd walk in because I don't want to, you know. I'm not into small talk here. So we've always got a long fine. You know, we've always got a long fine.

And I just, I think it's really interesting to hear that. That might be the first time I've ever heard, the first time I asked and the first time I got the answer. That was great. Well, he would, you ever see him, he eats a ton of red meat and steak and drinks whole milk? He would go to the nicest steakhouse in Ann Arbor and say, instead of order and wine, he doesn't drink, he said, can I have some whole milk? And they would have to send somebody to the local grocery store and bring back. whole milk. He told us the bit, the funniest one for me is we would be served chicken at training team. And he told our, he told our nutritionists. He said, I don't want these guys

eating chicken. It's the nervous bird. Like bring out red meat. He tried to get chicken banned from training tape. And he was serious, right? Or is he being a goof? We laughed because we thought he was and he was dead serious. Dead serious. So we don't need you that nervous bird in your system. It's a nervous bird. Hey, so, Jake, I don't know if you saw the clip, but we, we, we, we, we, in the double overtime game, and JT did get the first down, but would let that go. Shelly was the crowd rush the field, and my cell phone rains as I walk up to the podium, and I walk away because I see it's her, and everybody's, you know, there's a couple hundred people in this press conference,

and I said, that was just She said, make sure you grab a gallon of milk on the way home, and I just said that. I didn't, I wasn't taking a shot, and I mean, that made like national, you know, Urban Meyer takes a shot at Jim Harbor. I said, for what? And then I said, oh, shit, that's right. That's a, yeah. Yeah, you didn't know, coach, right?

Wink, wink, wink. That's one of the more harmless things ever said in the rivalry. Yeah. There's been much worse. Jake, you're fantastic, man. We've got to get you all more often. Yeah, we appreciate you, bro. Appreciate it.

Yeah, great to see you guys. Thanks for your time. Continued success with the Big Ten Network, the blueprint, download it, favorite it, send it, share it, everything. It's a big week for you. So we appreciate you taking the time to join us. Jake Butt, former Michigan Studt, tight end joining us here on the triple option coming up next we go three and out and talk

the best coaches in college football right now welcome back to the triple option presented by wendy's time now for three and out presented by google as we take a look at what fans are searching for this week and remember no matter what question comes next you can just ask Google, we have seen a 720% increase in searches asking about the coaching carousel. Thank you, Elaine Kiffin, and a 190% increase asking who the best coaches are in college football. So we are going to rank our top three head coaches in college football right now. Mark, you bet lead off. All right, y'all make me bad lead off.

I like bad lead off because I get on base. You know what I mean? Coach is going to move you along. Hit behind the runner. Hey, but, man, when you talk about best coaches in the nation, man, I got to go with guys who have been there and they've won it, who have holding up that trophy. And right now I'm going Kirby Snomart.

Kirby Smart, the way he coaches, he comes from the same type of cloth that we came from. We was in Alabama together. I just believe in his style. Believe in his coach's style. He's won the Natty. Been there, done that. I got to go Kirby Smart.

also when you talk about natties you got to go ryan day defending national title head coach got the guys undefeated this year got to go ryan day with the bucks um dabbo was on my heart man but just of what they've had to overcome the last few years i got this next tier of coaches so i got kirby smart got ryan day and i got this next tier of coaches obviously you got dan lannon you got persignetti You got Halen DeBoer, you got Sark, you got McGuire, you got all these different coaches that could be kind of that are up and coming, that are making successful programs, but haven't taken that step yet to get a national title. So I got the top two, and I got just like a group of great coaches who are building great cultures and identities at universities that haven't took that next step just yet. So I got two and a question mark. I like that.

Mark, that's what I do with a big new. So you got the one guy you did mention is going to be the highest paid coach in the history of the game, Lane. So I have Ryan Day, Kirby Smart, Davo, and I just know how hard it is to win a national title, and they won two. Coach Day is one-one. So I just, I have them there until you're the man, until someone beats the man. And then I got, like, Mark, I got the Sig, Kifflin, Cygnati, Kiff.

Lannning Sumerall. I think the Sumerall guy had done some research on him at Tulane, I think he's an up-and-comer. And then I also, I got to throw these names out, you know, DeBore and winning him. You know, those are, if I'm at the, saying the best coaches I've ever been around,

kind of winning him is either one or one-A. So I know that doesn't. Elko. That's right. He's done a hell of a job. Elko. There's so many good ones out. There is. You know, you're really good.

You're really good. You got to hold that thing up, Coach. You got to hold that thing up. I agree. I give a lot of props to people who maybe haven't held that thing, but have built a program from nothing to where they are right now. And there's two guys who are flourishing in that department right now, Clark Lee at Vanderbilt, right?

Coach, put in perspective for us what Vanderbilt was during your time in the SEC. When you saw Vanderbilt on your schedule, you're saying what's your same. And he had the quarterback for the Bears. What was his name? Losing my mind. Yeah, Jay Cutler, but then it dropped off fast. And I mean, it was, we'd go to Nashville, Tennessee,

and it'd be, you know, 40,000 seat stadium, 38.5, Gator fans. You know, so, yeah, that's phenomenal. It's phenomenal what he's done. And a lot of respect for him. What they've been able to build, I mean, Vanderbilt used to be a buy, right? That was a buy team. Now they got Diego Pavia and his,

his mom running around the standings, his mom and her. We're not going to talk about Diego's mom because Mark gets fired up about that one. We'll save that for another conversation, Mark. Is that all right? Yeah, that's all right. He wants nothing. To your point, guys, about, you know, to be the man, you got to beat the man, what Ryan Day has done the ability to win a national title A.

Now the ability to run it back again, right? Coach, like consistency, doing it year in and year. out is what takes you to that next level. And again, he's doing it with a new offensive coordinator and a new defensive coordinator this year as well. So bonus points for there. They've got the best wide receiver room in America. They've got recruiting power across the nation. They're doing it with a new quarterback, new running backs, essentially a new defense. It's amazing what Ryan Day has continued to build at Ohio State. But for me, number one, fire up a sigman, Kurt Signetti. A road.

trip coach to Indy in the past, I think was similar to a road trip to Vanderbilt in the past, right? You could always tell that Indiana, with it, they would tell me they'd take the overhead picture of the stadium whenever Ohio State camp, and the other time it was empty. And it was filled with Ohio State fans were in the Scarlet, and people said, oh, they're Indiana fans. So no, that's, I'm not disagreeing with it. Yeah. And again, he's not doing it with five-star dude.

that Ryan Day is, right? I mean, it's a different recruiting pull that Signetti is getting it done with. It's three stars. It's maybe four stars. If you're lucky, it's dudes who are James Madison who have proven themselves and are playing at an absolute elite level. He's going to get his program to the playoffs two straight years in a row with two different quarterbacks as well.

It's amazing which Coach Signetti has done. Let us know your thoughts. Your top coaches in the comment section. It's a good topic. It's a tough one to just say, here's the three best. Because you're right, guys. There's four ADs out there trying to figure that out. It's so deep and so strong, right?

And writing some big checks and bugging some donors saying, how about a couple extra mill here to try and make this cat happen? Time now for two-minute drill, brought to you by Fanduel. Visit Fanduil.com slash triple option to download the app and take advantage of a 50% profit boost today. Guys, what a week we have in college football. 21 games this week have playoff implications. in some way, shape, or form.

And one of them in Atlanta, the Peach State battle between Georgia and Georgia Tech. Bulldogs favored now by 13 and a half, the over under 59.5. Now, both of these programs could be playing in conference championship games next weekend, but they have to do some scoreboard watching in this SEC-ACC matchup that will really not impact both of these schools' ability to get to their championship game. Georgia Tech at this point, they have to get to the ACC championship game to get themselves to the playoffs, but they need not one, not two, not three, they need four results to happen in their favor this week and to get there. Their home loss last week, which caught a lot of us off guard to Pittsburgh, essentially imploded their playoff in ACC title hopes. They are a beaten program that once was so high and so proud and just flying right now towards the ACC championship game.

and that has been massively subdued in Atlanta. For Georgia, a win here still matters. Big picture, playoff seating-wise. They're going to the playoffs for all intensive purposes right now. They can book a playoff ticket without getting to the SEC championship game. As I mentioned, jackets are down. Bulldogs know they've got a great chance to play for more. It means more right now for the Bulldogs this weekend.

I like the dogs to cover, and I would say, take the under as well. Mark Friday, unbeaten Texas A&M at three lost Texas. The Aggies on the road favored by two and a half. Over under 51 and a half. A win and A&M is in the SEC title game. Texas already eliminated from the SEC championship game and they are fighting for their playoff lives. Yeah, they're fighting for the playoff lives, but I think it's their demise this week. Stoner, I think they're going to be finished this week. You got Marcel Reed, you got Casey Conception, you got Mario Craver, an explosive offense to A&M and the Aggies have going against the Texas defense who are struggled of late.

They can't stop the run. They're giving up a lot of points. They've given up over 300 yards in four straight games. So when you have that type of offense going against a struggling defense, I think it's not a great matchup. And then also, Texas, they just become really, Archman has been playing a lot. better, but they've become a one-dimensional drop-back pass team. What is A&M good at? Getting the quarterback on the ground. They're one of the top teams in the country in sacks. Their defensive end catches and how leads the SEC with 11 and a half sacks. So I'm laying

the points, two and a half points. I'm going to lay the points with A&M Aggies. They haven't beaten the Texas since 2010. They're undefeated. Have a Hizman hopeful, have a chance to clutch a berth to go to the SEC championship game and continue to playoff. You know, their playoff run. So I think A&M, I think the Aggies, it's their time. I think it's their time this year and I'm laying the points with them. Mark, can you even remember a time when an unbeaten SEC program this late in the calendar year is getting as little national notoriety, public attention, and love as Texas A&M this season?

I have no idea what the issue is or why nobody's respecting this team. But Mike Elko has this team playing phenomenal football. think they're one of the teams that can truly challenge for a national title. Yeah, and I think if you're Elko in College Station, you're like, hey, cool. That's good, man. Keep it, keep it quiet. Keep it calm. Keep it calm.

This is perfect. It's playing out perfectly for Texas A&M this season. It couldn't have drew it up any better. Correct. Correct. Coach, let's go to Ann Arbor, the game, Ohio State at Michigan. Buckyes win, and they play next Saturday in Indie in the Big Ten championship game. another Michigan upset this year, and the Wolverines had themselves an opportunity to play in the Big Ten.

Title game, Buckeyes, favored by 10 and a half. Does that even really matter in this series? The over under 44 and a half. Jake Butt gave us what he thought was the blueprint for a Michigan win. Coach, what do the Buckeyes need to do to win? Two names, Jeremiah Smith, Carnell Tate. If they play, they cover, if they don't, they won't. I still think the Buckeyes win.

I just don't see the Wolverines moving the ball against that defense. I don't. Interesting to Vegas, man, you're finding out with some of these guys getting in trouble with all this gambling stuff. And I keep hearing it's a tip of iceberg. So all I can say is Vegas says it's now down to 10 and a half. You know, do they know something? And I could make a phone call and find out if those two players are playing. I'm not going to do that.

I don't want to know because at some point I'd say something, you know, not on purpose. If those two, the two first two bona fide, maybe the two best receivers in college football, if they play, I think it's a two score, 14, 15 plus game. If they don't, I think it's going to be a little tighter, but the Buckeyes still win. So that's a maybe right now I'm going to say I'm going to have the Buckeyes cover the 10 and a half. I'm going to have Buckeyes cover 10 and a half. They're saying it's 10 and a half because they got killed last year. I know.

And that's a lot in the rival game. You know that, Mark. And then Jake Butts said, and I just looked up, it's going to be a 70% chance of snow, 30 degrees, which is, I'd rather play in that than 10 degree in driving rain. You know, we had to do that one time in Michigan State. So I don't see that being a major, you know, issue with those players. I want to throw one more question, and this will go to you, Mark. Jake talked about for Michigan defense, they got to hit Julian Sayan, right?

They got to get them on the ground. They need to see if that young man, can handle that atmosphere, can handle that physicality. What we really haven't talked about is the true freshman, Bryce Underwood. And watching him this season, it's, hey, up and down. Up and down. There's some of this. And you get the feeling that right now his legs are better than his arm.

Yes. But the thing is, you've seen some promising moments from him. So hopefully you get the promising, if I'm a Michigan fan, I'm hoping, of the up and down and the inconsistency, I'm hoping in the game on Saturday we see the best if I'm coaching Bryce if I'm coaching Bryce we saw last year I'm going to put a neck roll on him elbow pads I'm going to tape his ankles

twice and you're going to run that ball 24 times certainly in the first half to get to the second half we can't have him make if I'm a Michigan fan the one thing I can't have is him turn the ball over and get him I think it's over like that I need him

I need Jordan Marshall to run the football I don't know I don't know the status of Justice Haynes, but we need him. We saw last week at Wrigley, we saw him making good throws to Andrew Marsh. We need that connection all day. So Bryce Underwood, if I'm a Michigan fan, we've seen the up and down. We've seen the volatility. We hope it's on the way up.

We hope that stock is high on Saturday. Then Bryce Underwood and the four paths that Michigan has will have a shot. That spread doesn't matter at all anymore. It don't. Like after what happened. last year. Everybody wants to say like, what they say?

That was fresh. Fresh. Fresh. Fresh. Fresh. Fresh. Fresh. Michigan got Ohio State number right now.

They believe it's in Ann Arbor. Ohio State. They got to come on with it, man. All right. Coach, this is good. This is good. I know.

We're going on a tangent here. Coach, all right, what's the Buckeye locker room? What are the Buckeye practices like this week, knowing that they've lost four in a row to their arch rival? but also knowing they're the number one team in the nation and they are going to the playoffs regardless of what happens.

You're asking a question, I don't know. You know, I've been on the other side of that when we've been on a streak. And my guess, knowing Ryan Day, and it's business. It's all business, man. You know, are they going to use that as it gets closer to game time for motivation? Sure. But I think it's just, you got Matt Patricia.

Yeah, Brian Hartline, it's all about getting first downs on offense and stopping them on defense. I don't know if any of that, I don't know. I just think it's very business-like approach in Columbus. See, Coach doesn't know this stuff because, Coach, what's your record against Michigan? I can't recall. Is it 7 and 0?

See, Coach can't recall. Yeah, we have that one of the restaurant. You couldn't really say, I'll see it the 4 and 3. That's not. Mark, I'll meet you at the 3 and 4. No. Yeah, like, hey, Coach, people ask, like, what's more important?

your rival with a national title. Oh, you didn't go on an undefeated title run where you stomped on your rival? Like, I can't relate. I can't relate. I'll see you at the four and three around six o'clock. Yeah, it doesn't quite have the ring to it. Follow subscribe. It don't hit. It don't hit. Rate us on YouTube, Apple Podcast, Spotify, wherever you get your podcast, as well as across social media at 3X option show. Please leave those questions and comments as well. Make sure join us next Tuesday night, 730 Eastern, as we react to. to the Penn Ultimate College Football Playoff Rankings. Thanks, as always, to our sponsors.

Wendy's Bandle, USAA, and Google, enjoy the football news this weekend. It's the last weekend of the regular season. I can't believe we're saying it. Enjoy all the games. We'll talk to you again next week.