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Follow and listen to Fantasy Football Today on the free Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts. Let's get into some NFL as we have hit the halfway point here of the JR Sports Brief Show on the Infinity Sports Network. Gresh in for JR tonight. And let's peel apart some of the burning questions of the NFL with Brian Diardo, NFL writer for CBS Sports, here with Gresh on the Infinity Sports Network. And Brian, I just got done talking about Having the best record in the league at the end of October, but I want to ask you about the Colts.
Where were you on the Colts? Where are you on the Colts? And are the Colts a legitimate world championship contender? Those are all great questions. Before we start, I have my own burning question, which is will my daughter continue my two year old daughter continue to play peacefully in the bathtub, or will she get out and disrupt this interview that we're having and maybe do a cameo of her own?
Oh my God, that's awesome. It is and I will say she is a a suffering Bengals fan, even though she doesn't know it. Her mother is a Bengals fan. And she's certainly hoping that Joe Burrow can get back late in the season because that that defense is And we certainly need some points there on that side of the ball. But the the Colts You know, a lot of people, you know, they, you know, a lot of people, the doubters are kind of looking at their strength of schedule.
I believe before last week, it was the third easiest. in the league, but that doesn't honestly really matter to me. I you know, I think You know, Jonathan Taylor, and we just did a staff vote for mid-season awards. Believe it or not, Jonathan Taylor was voted as our league MVP. He would be the first league MVP non-quarterback since 2012.
But no, I mean, the structure of this team with Jake Ballard at GM has been really good for a long time. They just need stability of the quarterback position, which they haven't had with Anthony Richardson. But no, I mean, I think. Think Daniel Jones, and and the thing with Daniel Jones that I think people might not realize and don't watch him play very much. Is these he's he's not just a game manager, he's making good, hard down-the-field throws.
Obviously, Jonathan Taylor is taking a lot of that off of him, but but this, but to me, honestly, this week is a huge measuring stick for him and the team because they're playing a Pittsburgh team that is badly, badly injured in the secondary.
So, to me, this is a game that they should come in. They should win quite easily, I would think. But yeah, I think so far I'm sold on the Colts and what they could do in the playoffs. I know the trade deadline is upon us. I know that Kirk Cousins has requested a trade out of Atlanta once again, even though it looks like he's going to start this week against the New England Patriots.
Is there any reason for me, Brian, in your opinion, to believe that Kirk Cousins will have a different address at the end of this regular season? No, I I don't think so because I I just think there's been too many situations where Where they would have traded him earlier.
Now, I will say the only situation I could potentially. See that happening. Would be the Minnesota Vikings just because of the fact that J.J. McCarthy was still injured, then I absolutely could see that happening. But no, I that would be the only only scenario I could see him potentially being trade, but no, not with McCarthy back.
And not with their situation. No, I think he's going to stay with Atlanta. Let's be honest. I mean, Cousins didn't look good last week and that was honestly a surprise to me that that he didn't play better. But I still think overall that they're you know, I think that they're going to hang on to him because like I said, they would have gotten rid of him, I believe, in the summer and earlier if they weren't you know, if they were going to trade him.
So no, I think Cousins are going to stay put by the deadline. How do you contextualize what we have seen from the Atlanta Falcons this year? Super underachieving. And again, I think a lot of it's with Michael Pennix. I mean, that defense has been good.
But they haven't really won them a lot of games. To me, it just seems like B. John Robinson has to be the bell cow. If they're going to win, he has to have a big game. I mean, Pennex just hasn't progressed to the level that I'm sure they were hoping for.
And then, again, like, I thought cousins. Was the better of the two quarterbacks. That's why I was kind of disappointed by him last week and how he didn't play up to my expectations. But to me, he hasn't made that leap.
Now, Drake London was hurt last week, so you could attribute that to part of the reasons why they lost in the game. But again, I think they're playing New England this week. That's another big measuring stick game for me is to see if they can beat a Patriots team that I think them and the Colts are the two most surprising teams in the league. But I think Atlanta is going to get better because I do believe in Pennix. If he's healthy, he's going to continue to make strides.
If London's healthy, that's going to help. And the pass rushers they have are young rookies that obviously, you know, barring the rookie wall, they're only going to get better as well. Brian Diardo of CBSSports.com talking some NFL with Gresh here on the Infinity Sports Network. All right, it is the regular season battle between Buffalo and Kansas City. Brian, do you have any reason to believe that the outcome will be any different from the prior four here in the regular season?
I mean, on paper, the Bills are the better team. And to me, it's all about James Cook. I think if James Cook. can take over that game, then I think that the Bills c can win this one, especially with uh Isaiah Pacheco being out or potentially, you know, being being limited with his injury. But and that to me is a huge disappointment if you're a chief stand because pacheco hasn't been the same since his most recent injury and he was really, really starting to come on, I think with a Big reason why the Chiefs won five out of their last seven games.
But no, I still am going to go with the Chiefs in this game for a few reasons. Number one, The the Bills, like many teams, You know, they they win and they win and lose with their quarterback, right? And Josh Allen, you know, they're going to put the game on his shoulders. I just think for the bit for the Chiefs, Even with the Checo, you know, potentially being hindered with his injury, they've got so many weapons with with Worthy and Hollywood Brown and now Rashay Rice back. And Kelsey is still a very good tight end.
He's obviously not in his prime anymore. And Mahomes is Is, dare I say, playing at an MVT level.
So I do think if James gets rolling, The Chiefs the the Bills could steal this one, but I'm going to go with the Chiefs just because of how Mahomes is playing and how that defense is playing. Brian, any less interest in this game because the number one seed isn't on the line? Uh I I'm I have uh In general, I I'm kind of I have fatigue w when it comes to the Chiefs, so I'm not terribly interested in this game. Like I said, I I'm more interested in the Steelers Colts game for several reasons. A, the Steelers, two straight losses.
Their defense has been Dreadful. I mean, and it's the highest paid defense in the NFL. They were banking Too much, I think, on Jalen Ramsey being able to convert to safety with the Mickey Fitzpatrick trade. And yeah, I mean, the Colts are seven and one, but despite that, I think there's still a lot of doubt as to how legit they are. And even if they beat the Steelers, who are not as good as them, I do think, in a lot of eyes, that'll validate them as being quote unquote legit.
So that game has more of my attention, but obviously I'm still excited about the Bills and the Chiefs, even with the number one seed not on the line. Hey, I'm curious: do you view the Steelers' defensive regression a coaching issue, or is it a personnel issue? It starts with the coach, but everybody. Coaches. uh personnel.
I think again, like I said, I think the biggest issue was They were relying too much on older players like Darius Slay. There's a reason why the Eagles let him go. You know, they were expecting Juan Thornhill to replace Megan Fitzpatrick, whom they traded to Miami. You know, his backup, Chuck Clark, was available at the start of training camp, right? And so, you know, when Deshaun Elliott got hurt, that flipped that game against the Packers all the way.
It was 16 to 7 Steelers before that injury. They ended up losing 35-25. And then, yeah, like I said, I think the whole formula for that secondary was Mick and Fitzpatrick, or I'm sorry, Jalen Ramsey kind of being Troy Paul Molly 2.0, lining up everywhere and wreaking havoc on the quarterback because of the injuries. He can't do that. And so, yeah, I mean, I but yeah, so I think it starts with Mike Tomlin and it starts with them putting too much faith in ordered players and ultimately trading a player they should have kept.
Brian, I know that you've talked about some of the games that you're kind of hot on. Is Thursday night one of them? Like I wonder I I think we're all just kind of waiting for the inevitable in Miami, and I think we're almost waiting for the inevitable in Baltimore in that Lamar's gonna get back and come and write the ship. Your thoughts on both those teams as they head into a Thursday night battle. I'm super excited about this game, and mostly because I'm off and I can enjoy it as a fan.
So I'm thrilled. Oh, look at you! You know, well, if I can win, I mean, Bluey might win on the T V. It might have to be cell phone duty for me. That's all right.
You know, three inches, 65 inches. It's still football. It's whatever. But no, I'm into this game because in a weird way, like you alluded to, it's almost like an October playoff game. Oh, it'll also be Halloween.
So we have that little added element to it. But no, there's a lot of intrigue for me in this game.
So you look at Baltimore and I could be wrong here. I'm not a gambler. But I heard that they now have the odds. The odds are in their favor to win the North despite being, I think, three and five and Pittsburgh being four and three. That's that's crazy to me, but I believe it because their schedule is super easy.
I think they have four or five straight opponents with los with with losing records coming up, starting with Miami. Lamar Jackson's back. It seems like they've kind of Steadied the ship with their defense and some of the injuries they've had to kind of get over.
So, I mean, no, I think for them, if they can win this game, get to four and five, now you're really cooking. You look at Miami, and they have, you know, he's not going to play, but if Lamar, for whatever reason, has an injury setback, Tyler Huntley played for Miami last year, and I believe won a game or two for them.
So he's ready to go. Miami, to me, if they lose this game, oh, look at that. If you're a fan of another team, look at that roster. They got Jordan Weaver, who's had a really good season, Jordan Brooks, rather, who's had a good season for them. I think he leads the NFL in tackles, if I'm not mistaken.
They have him. They have Bradley Chubb. I don't think they would trade Jalen Waddell, but there's a lot of assets on that team that if they lose this game, I don't see why they wouldn't be sellers at the deadline.
So, again, if you're, and it's already been a pretty busy deadline, you know, pre-trade deadline as it is.
So if they lose this game, which I think they will, I think you can start to look at some of the players on their roster being in different uniforms this time of the week. Hey, not only Miami making a move, but like we're seeing college teams now busting moves on their head coaches. Does Mike McDaniel, you know, make it past Thanksgiving as the head coach of the Dolphins? And Uh, Brian, who are those hot candidates that are out there? Like when I heard what turned out to be a bum report that Steve Sarkeesia might have been sniffing around, I thought that checked out because there's no Ben Johnson.
There's no guy on the doorstep that everyone is allegedly salivating over.
So, if you're a college head coach with some play caller experience in the NFL, maybe you can become that hot offensive guy that everybody loses their mind over to go higher. I'm curious for your thoughts on all that, not only the Dolphins, but the future as to where they're going. Yeah, I don't think McDaniels survives. I mean, I know that their owner recently came out and gave him his vote of confidence, but I also saw a video of their owner being mad because his car wasn't close to his private jet when he landed.
So I don't think his patience is that great. Talk about talk about first world problems, right? I mean, Gemini Christmas, but I I don't think he lasts. I know that, you know, i he they're saying, Oh, well, we like him, we want to exude patience. He's, I believe, around 80 years old.
I don't think he's. He's probably, like I said, you know, I just use the airport as my example. I don't think he survived. I'm actually surprised that Joe Brady Isn't getting more coach hub. He's the Bills offensive coordinator.
They've done an amazing job with him. I mean, I think he, you know, ever since he's been there, I think Josh Allen has performed at an even higher level. He's gotten that running game kind of off the ground. They adjusted to not having Stephon Diggs, and I think that's why Allen won the MVP last year, right? Because he did more.
from the outside it looked like with less.
So I think Brady to me Is the top candidate anywhere? College, it's interesting. Like, I don't think he would leave, and I don't think he should leave. But Matt Rolf had some success at Nebraska, and he's a guy that obviously was in the NFL with the Panthers and has that experience, but You know, other than that, I think here's a super, super, super off the radar. I don't think will ever happen, but I'm going to throw it out there.
Brian Hartline at Ohio State, who played the NFL as a receiver. I think he's got a big, big potential, potentially as a future head coach. I mean, the players have really resonated with him at Ohio State. Um it it just depends on if he ever wants to leave. He went to Ohio State.
He's got you know, they're they're obviously having a ton of success there. But Joe Brady, to me, I think is the top guy for any any NFL opening that comes up this offseason. In terms of the retread list, do you think Bill Belichick will be able to get back in line even though it hasn't been the smoothest transition at UNC? He will never coach in the NFL again. I'm very confident in that.
Now, here's what I'm very, here's what, here's what I'm interested in with him. He's eligible for the Hall of Fame this year. They usually only take one, I think, coaching candidate. And there's a lot of deserving ones, Mike Shanahan, Kyle's dad, Mike Holgram, Marty Schottenheimer. The rumor is, the reports are, that Robert Kraft, Patriots owner, isn't getting into the Hall of Fame because of his role in Spygate.
The question is, will the same thing be held against Belichick? I don't know. And I think that's a very interesting question. And I think, should he be a Hall of Famer even with Spygate there? Yes.
I think he should still be in the Hall of Fame. That being said, Should he get in first ballot over guys like Shanahan and Holgram? And Schottheimer and that have been waiting for a long time. These sh Schottheimer, yeah, because Schottheimer never won a Super Bowl. But I mean Holgram?
And and and I think the other thing, the longer Billichick coaches, and as you alluded to, it's not going well at North Carolina. It it does hurt his his reputation and his legacy even with h the Hall of Fame, even though it this is happening in college.
So uh I don't think he'll ever coach in the NFL again, and and I'm actually more curious to see if he gets in the Hall of Fame uh during his first year of el eligibility.
Well, if people are being serious about it, they'll also look at the general manager part of Bill Belichick. Because everybody points to the end. But, you know, the guy also drafted a Hall of Famer in the top 10 with his first real first-round pick. And then it kind of went on there where he had a hell of a streak.
So it will be interesting to see if Bill gets his just too, not only as a head coach, but the guy who ran that organization and played. Put a lot of salary cap tricks into play that people end up still using today.
So you're right, Brian. It will be interesting. Brian DiArdo, CBSSports.com. Your daughter did a great job. We'll leave it at that.
Thanks a bunch. Mom replaced me. The True Starter came in the back of Luff, so I don't know what to do. Oh, there you go. There you go.
So the quarterback came in and took over. Brian, thanks a bunch. I really appreciate it. Talk to you soon. Hey, anytime, absolutely, thanks.
Thank you. The reason that I think Belichick is still in play for NFL teams is. Who are the hot candidates right now? Who are the dudes that are Are or have been in line for a while. Who haven't gotten a job, right?
Like Ben Johnson was that guy, but he was also kind of being picky in terms of where he wanted to go. And I just wonder that If you're the Miami Dolphins, okay. And I said to you right, and if we all just stopped down and thought about it right now. Where will the Dolphins turn to go get a a a head coach?
So there's the whole steel coordinator right from within division. I know they went with the offensive guy. I don't know if that's going to work. You know, do they want to go back to that one again? Do you go make a high-profile hire like a Steve Sarkeesian or someone like that?
And bring him back to the NFL because he was a play caller and, of course, has head coach experience at a couple of different places in college football.
Well, when I start whittling down these candidates and I start to think, you know, like my buddy Dar my former teammate at URI, Darren Rizzi, special teams coach with Denver, that's a guy who should get a big time look. A big time look. But there's no hot candidate right now. And if you're the Miami Dolphins, you're not bringing in, you're more likely to bring in Steve Sarkeesian than you would Brian Kelly, obviously. But I just look around and think about it, and even if.
Uh even if you think he's a prick, which he is and even if you think he was messy at North Carolina, which he has been When it comes to Understanding pro football, putting a structure and an organization in place. That would run once the guy is gone. I just don't know how Bill Belichick doesn't get interviews. Bare minimum interviews. And if there's going to be, if we go on the average, there's about six head coach openings every year.
I don't know where some of the other ones would would necessarily come from. But if we end up getting to six, Can you look right now, not including John Gruden, and say that there are either. Six guys in the NFL who are coordinators who should get cracks at being a head coach or. That if you, if you put up the top six, if you had to come up with a top five list. Head coaching candidates and people that would be available.
Who knows what they're doing, who have a proven track record, right? Um How do you how do you not include Bill Bella checking that. I mean, you mean to tell me there's so many people that are out on Bill Belichick now in the NFL? That organizations will continue to go with the Raheem Morrises of the world? I'm just saying.
Gary and Rocky Top, I'm getting to you. 888-710-4ISN. 888-710-4476. Grush with you here, InforJR on the Infinity Sports Network. That 365 is paying out before the final whistle.
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Hi, I'm Dr. Mary Claire Haver, a board-certified OBGYN and menopause specialist. My new podcast, Unpaused, is the place for bold, unfiltered conversations about what it really takes for women to thrive in the second half of life. Every week, I sit down with medical experts, cultural icons, and powerhouse women to talk about what really matters: your health, your power, and your future. We're covering hormones, identity, finances, relationships, and so much more.
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You're listening to the JR Sport Brief, Keirs, Fresh. 888-710-4ISN, 888-710-4476. Your chance to get in with Gresh here on the Infinity Sports Network. I'm in for JR tonight. You can also get me on X, on Instagram, on the tick and the talk.
And you can go to YouTube and just type in at the Real Gresh. It'll all pop right. If you can go to any of those platforms, type in at The Real Gresh, and you can hit me up and follow all the work that I'm doing everywhere. Thank you. I appreciate it.
Let's go to the phones. Gary in Rocky Top on his bears. Gary, you're with Gresh. How are you, babe?
Well, buddy, I had a scary moment earlier today, I better tell you about. I was driving my eighteen wheeler down the road when all of a sudden, there's all these flashing lights behind me. I'm thinking, what the heck's going on here? And I pull over and there's these four SUVs full of cops and they they get they get down and it says ice on the front of them.
So I said, Hey guys, what's going on here? Am I in trouble? It's another Gary and Rocket Top. We know who you are. We just want to know, are you calling the Gretch Show tonight?
Okay, yeah, of course. Ha ha ha ha! And they said, well, could you please mention us while you're at it? I said, okay, I can do that.
So anyways, I guys out there. If you ever do deport me, please send me to Central America, South America. Send me a Siberia. Please say the Tennessee thing. Don't send me to Alabama, damn it.
I couldn't take that. Oh my gosh. What the heck happened to my Chicago Bears? They were playing a second-stream quarterback and they could lay the whole game there. What was wrong with them exactly?
Yeah, I'll tell you what it is, Gary. I think with the Bears, there's still a lot of growth to be made defensively, and you gotta learn how to win. And I think right now the Bears are trying to figure out how to learn how to win. Yeah, I guess you got a point there. But that's all I got for you.
Thank you. And you guys guys out there, you guys guys always tune in for the Greg Show. He's the best man. Listen, Gary, you be safe out there. You and the truckers in this country of ours continue to keep the merchandise moving, and we definitely thank you for it.
Um Yeah, with the Bears, you know, I just I don't I don't think the I I I think they've taken advantage of bad teams on the schedule. Um I just look at the Bears as a team that, if they can get to seven or eight wins this year, I feel like that's a successful season. First year head coach, first time with this new quarterback. I just, you know, New England is 6-2. But I think there was a lot of institutional knowledge there with Mike Vrable.
I think with Ben Johnson, he's got to learn how to be a head coach. And you can only do that really by making mistakes and taking lumps. And, you know, when you don't have a fully formed football team like he does in Chicago, you're going to have moments where you're going to just get beat up by a team who.
Sort of knows what they're doing. Does that make sense? I mean, when I look at Baltimore, I look at a, you know, that's a fully functioning, fully grown. Organization and kind of football team. And I just don't think, you know.
If um The Bears are at a J V level if we look at the Ravens at the varsity level. And that's not to be mean or cross or anything like that. It's just the reality of the situation that Chicago finds themselves in right now.
Well, I'll tell you this from a man Gary and Rocky Top, and he will understand what I'm saying here. When we live in a College Football World. where Indiana And Va Indiana, Georgia Tech, and Vanderbilt. Are among the top 10 teams in terms of strength of record and record overall and things like that. I'm looking at Indiana 8-0, the number two team in all the land.
And boy, did they level jump pretty quickly once Kurt Signetti got there. And then you look at Georgia Tech, who's 8-0 and might be the best team in the ACC. And then you got Vanderbilt in the SEC. You know, that other team in Tennessee who right now. has um Done an amazing job of getting that record to seven and one.
And if you look at strength of record in college football. 'Cause my man Gary and Rocky Top. Um Strength of record Number one is Texas AM. Number two is Indiana. Number three, Ohio State.
Number four, Alabama, number five, BYU. Number six, Oregon, number seven, Ole Miss, number eight, Georgia Tech, number nine, Vanderbilt, number ten. Oregon. The top one lost team in strength of record is Alabama. who have four wins against ranked opponents and two of those are on the road.
And despite that opening season loss to Florida State. The tides resume, according to strength of record, is almost identical. identical to 7 and 0 Ohio State and 8 and 0 BYU. Eight teams will enter November. with at least a two in three chance.
To reach the college football playoff according to that all-state playoff predictor. Four from the SEC, three from the Big Ten, plus Big Twelve leader BYU. All those teams are A 2-3 chance to make the playoffs.
So basically when it comes to making the playoffs Indiana is at 97%, Texas AM at 96%, Ohio State at 96, Alabama at 93%. Oregon's at 80 sorry, Georgia's at 81% to make the playoff. Oregon's 75%. Ole Miss seventy, BYU sixty nine Georgia Tech is a 50% chance of making the playoff, and Miami. is at 46.
That's on the old uh uh playoff predictor.
So if we go by this. Indiana, Texas A and M, Ohio State, Alabama, Georgia and Oregon. All have a 75% chance or higher to make the playoff.
Now, if you go by this time last year. In terms of the predictor to make the playoff? Miami was 89%, so they had the best chance to make the playoff, and they missed it completely. Oregon at this time last year was 88% to make the playoff. They were the number one seed.
Georgia last year at this time was 85% to make it. They were the number two seed. Penn State was at 84%. They were the sixth seed. Texas at 75%.
They were the five seed. Ohio State last year, this time, was 72% to make the playoffs. They were the eight, and of course, we know what happened there. Indiana was at seventy percent and Tennessee was at sixty nine. And we know that Arizona State got in there, SMU got in there, Clemson got in there.
Notre Dame got in there. Boise got in. I'll tell you this right now. I was doing some work for somebody the other day. And they said Put together your top twelve.
And you know who I had out of there? Notre Dame. And I know that I think there are personally. I think there are a lot of people In the college football world, who want to ensure the Notre Dame gets in there. Man, I don't know.
Your two best you know, they lost those first two early and they'll have some decent wins along the way. But when the two big names on your schedule are losses for Notre Dame, that might end up being tough with the way everything is kind of laid out this year.
Well, a man who should be on the college football playoff selection committee would be one, Rich Ackerman. He would bring tremendous credibility and a sense of calm to the committee as they try to parse through and figure out who in the world will ultimately represent the world of college football in the other tournament that we'll start getting as excited for as we do the NCAA tournament. We just marked that one down from old Uncle Greshie. Let's get updated on everything in the world of sports. Here's Rich Ackerman.
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Listen to and follow my new podcast, Unpaused, available now wherever you get your podcasts. Your fantasy season doesn't end after your draft. The Fantasy Football Today podcast is going to get you through the season and to a championship. Fantasy Football Today, part of CBS Sports Podcast Network, has episodes every single day. WaiverWire, Trade Talk, Starter Sit, Mailbags, and more.
If you want to win your league, you need to listen to Fantasy Football Today. Follow and listen to Fantasy Football Today on the free Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts. You're listening to the JR Sport Brief. Kears Fresh. They're in the bottom of the second inning in LA, Game five of the World Series in Toronto.
Has a two nothing lead on the Dodgers. Uh T. Oscar Hernandez has just uh struck out.
So we are two outs, bottom of the second. Toronto up 2-0 game five of the World Series. We will keep you updated here. on the uh Infinity Sports Network.
So Normally when we get to the end of October We have usually enough of a sample size. To start to talk about NFL MVP and pro football. and the Heisman Trophy in college football.
Now, I don't know if this year in college football we have. The Uber team. I don't know if we have one team that is just so clearly so much better. Than everybody else in the world of college football, but it's almost fait accompli, they're going to win the championship. I know you can probably narrow it down to about eight teams that realistically could win it all.
But you understand what I'm saying here is that There isn't the one team. That is automatically standing out in a way where you think they're winning the championship. Just like right now, there isn't anybody. who is really jumped out in terms of the Heisman Trophy. And going into the year, it was all Arch Manning.
And now that we are midway through the year, Uh the Heisman Trophy will have nothing to do with Arch Manning when it's uh when it's all said and done. Big whiff by me on that and others. I thought he was going to be awesome this year. I thought the kid was gonna come out and be number one pick. And who knows?
You know, that number one pick process is definitely. It's not always about the performance on the field. That's a part of it.
Some of it is projecting forward, and I'm sure there'd be a lot of people in the NFL. Who would look at Arch Manning and still think of him very highly. Be that as it may. Let's take a look at the Heisman race.
So we have Indiana entering November undefeated, and their quarterback Fernando Mendoza. uh is is pretty much entering the month, I think, as the Heisman favorite.
So the Heisman race is wide open with five players. currently holding odds shorter than ten to one, According to the Odds By the ESPN Bad Sports Book.
So if you go by ESPN bet. Fernando Mendoza, the quarterback of Indiana, is the favorite at 3-1. Julian Saean, the quarterback from Ohio State, is 4-1. Ty Simpson, the quarterback at Alabama, is 4-1. The guy that I thought would have skinnier odds by now, Diego Paiva of Vanderbilt.
Seven to one. And then you have Marcel Reed at Texas AM. At seven to one.
So, those are kind of the, you know, I don't even want to call them the leaders in the clubhouse. I don't think it's guaranteed that. all of those guys end up getting invited to New York. I think Ty Simpson will. I think Julian Saiyan will.
I think Fernando Mendoza will. Diego Paiva is an interesting study. Because Are you i if you're a Heisman voter. Are you voting for The guy who you think is the best player in college football. Or are you voting for the guy that you think had the best season?
when it came to this year in college football. Right.
So are you going just player? Or are you going player with a little bit of team mixed in? That's where if Vanderbilt continues this run. And Piva continues to play well, which he would have to for Vanderbilt to be able to continue this run. Then you're looking at a guy that might be able to steal the Heisman.
Um It's very interesting as to how each Heisman voter. comes up with their criteria. Like I only called games for fifteen years on television. You know, God forbid someone like me actually have a Heisman vote. And the crazy thing is, too, is that if you do have a Heisman vote, you're not supposed to talk about it.
You're not even supposed to engage in discussion like I am right now. But it's just a reminder at this point last year. It was a four person race for the Heisman. With Oregon's Dylan Gabriel at this point uh last year He was plus two fifty was Dylan Gabriel. Miami's Cam Ward was plus two seventy five.
Colorado's Travis Hunter was plus three seventy five, and Boise State's Ashton Genty was plus four fifty. Last year, and those odds were from uh ESPN bet. Those four players ended up as the Heisman finalists, with obviously Travis Hunter winning the award. Just real quick, I have to say. As somebody who Mm.
bet on Hunter to win the Heisman. I didn't realize at one point he was plus 375 and was in the middle of that group. I'd always. Every time it felt like I always looked at it with Travis Hunter, it felt like he was always the favorite, always the Heisman favorite, always the Heisman favorite. But nevertheless.
Now, four of the five Heisman favorites this year. Play for teams with the shortest odds. to win the national title. The exception is Paiva. Who has Vanderbilt at twenty to one?
Commodores opened the season five hundred to one. Um According to uh those ESPN bet odds. That's in terms of winning a a a national title. And You know, I personally I don't know how much it's really going to help. Julian Sahin or Fernando Mendoza or Ty Simpson.
If their respective football teams Are in the tournament, at the end of the day, that's what really matters, right? Like when we start to think about. The college football tournament and the college football playoff. It really is, do you make it there? Like when LSU knew they weren't making the playoffs, they cut cord with their head coach.
Same for Penn State.
So it's really about the playoff for the teams, but for the Heisman. I'm not so sure. I mean, it might be. Hey, it might come down to. Uh, you know, final conference championship weekend.
For a battle maybe between Indiana and Ohio State. And the better performer in that game between Mendoza and Saiyan. Ends up getting a whole bunch of votes nationally, and that ends up You know, maybe a con maybe a Big Ten Conference Championship game sort of tilts the way people think about. The Heisman Trophy. If Vanderbilt makes their way to a conference championship game or to the playoff.
Diego Paiva will be the guy who Who will benefit from his team having amazing success? And that's to take nothing away from Fernando Mendoza or Ty Simpson at Alabama or Julian Sane at Ohio State. That's to take nothing away from those guys. But I think the one thing you have to think about in these, whether it's an MVP vote in the NFL or whether it is a Heisman vote in college football. You can't ignore the human element of everything.
You can't ignore the fact That the one guy who gets hot on a Cinderella football team might be the one that people get emotionally attached to and ultimately vote for him to win the Heisman Trophy. That's where, to me, Diego Paiva is very, very live. Is he the best player in college football this year? Nope. Is he maybe the most exciting?
That you can argue. But that doesn't win the Heisman Trophy. But you know, a lot like I talked about in the NFL, why I don't consider Drake May of the New England Patriots a legitimate MVP candidate right now. Is because normally in your second year in the league to win that award, you have to do something amazing.
Well, I think we're going to get, you know, great play from Saiyan and Mendoza and Simpson on those. Teams that are expected to be there at the end of the year. But when you have a guy who puts up numbers that are comparable to those dudes, and they're the team that came out of nowhere. It's going to be really hard for me to believe that if Vanderbilt ends up, again, making a playoff. That Diego Paiva isn't gonna find a way to win this thing.
Now again, I think that's the only thing. Look, if I'm i i i if I'm voting right now, I think I need more. There's no question. I need to get closer to conference championship weekend to kind of parse through whom I'm going to vote for. Because even though I'm sitting here and I'm saying and predicting that if Vanderbilt goes on a run, Paiva's going to get a bunch of votes, even in that instance, I would not vote for Diego Paiva because I think, like, to me, The essence of the Heisman Trophy is that it goes to the best player in college football that particular year.
And when it's all said and done. Even if Vanderbilt is 11-1 and they're highly ranked and they get a good seed in the playoffs, and maybe they win an SEC championship. I don't look at Diego Paiva's year this year and say that he is the best player in college football.
Now, do I reserve the right to change my mind? Obviously, because if the guy goes through the month of November and rips through a bunch of wins and it's fifteen touchdowns and no interceptions or something crazy like that, then obviously the guy can still make a push to win the thing. on on merit alone. But I think it's coming. I think the Heisman is coming from either, if we're going to be fair about it.
It's going to be from Ohio State, Indiana, or Alabama. I would think it's going to be one of those QBs. We will talk college football with Bill Bender of the sporting news at 9:20. Let's get ready to go through. Uh a week in the NFL.
Shall we? Big games this week. I know we've gone through some. We will peel through week nine of the National Football League next here on the Infinity Sports Network. That 365 is paying out before the final whistle.
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