Chris Doering, SEC Network Analyst

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So get started and download the free Odyssey app today. Chris, appreciate the time as always. How are you? Yeah, I'm good, man.

Thanks for having me on. So my first reaction is Ohio State 2 Michigan 5. How could they have that much of a separation between the two teams? I mean, I guess it's just the valuation of the schedules that the two will play, maybe with the combination of the aesthetics of their wins to this point in time, and remaining undefeated. But it's so funny, man, because I think you ideally would like to have the criteria be consistent throughout the process. And it never is. But we see it in the past, where week to week, the criteria kind of changes as you go. And I guess that's maybe one of the downsides, or one of the parts just in general, of having human beings decided as opposed to some of the computer rankings or other aspects that we've used in the past. But yeah, I mean, I think the vague term that we hear so often that is maybe undefinable is the eye test. And I think that's the ultimate excuse that the committee ends up falling back on in some situations where they're splitting hairs between very similar teams from the same conference with the same record.

I'll say this. Maybe they should use my glasses then, because Michigan, when they played Penn State compared to Ohio State against Penn State, Michigan looked better against Penn State than Ohio State did up against the Nittany Islands. Yeah, you're right about that. Yeah, you would think common opponents would have a little bit more to do with differentiating those same teams. But I think it's interesting just how much we put into rankings as fans and media members. And obviously, there's a long way to go. But I think, in a way, it might be better to be Michigan, to be TCU, to be a little under the radar at this point in time, because we've seen in the past where the lights start to get brighter as we move through November and that pressure creates games where teams end up losing that they probably wouldn't otherwise have lost.

Now, I will say this, Chris Dory. I'm happy they put Tennessee at one, because I think they're deserving of it for the initial rankings. Yeah. Now, I thought that was the unquestioned number one team in the country, even dating back to after the Alabama win. You look at what Tennessee's done since the start of the season, going on the road, revenging a loss from last year against Pitt, coming from behind in that game, getting that Florida monkey off their back at home, going to Baton Rouge and winning there and what typically is a pretty tough place to play and then knocking off Alabama, who would beat them for a decade and a half.

I think every checkpoint along the way, they've been up to the task. And I think obviously it's the biggest task of the season coming up on Saturday, but they've shown me no reason to not trust what I've seen eight games through this season. So you would lean Tennessee over Georgia this weekend right now? You know, it's crazy to me. You know, before I heard about what the line was, I was thinking, man, Tennessee might be favored, given the differential in opponents that the two teams have played to this point in time.

I know, you know, there's the aspect of, you know, you got to beat the champ to be the champ, you know, the committees take every year into consideration and no past influence, supposedly. But, like, in my mind, I haven't really seen anything from Georgia that leads me to believe that they're going to be able to stop that defense, that offensive Tennessee rolls out there. And Hendon Hooker, maybe the best part about him, is that he doesn't turn the football over. Two interceptions on the entire season.

The team of the whole has only turned it over eight times. I'm interested to see what Kirby Smart and Will Muschamp come up with in terms of game plan to stop an offense that hadn't been stopped all year. Let's say if the college football playoff committee, Chris Doran, was just you.

Who would your top four be right now with what you've seen? I mean, I would go with, obviously, I work for the SEC network, so people would probably say I'm biased here, but I would say I would take Tennessee number one, probably Ohio State number two, Georgia three, Michigan four, Sprinklin, Alabama at five, and TCU at six. Clemson's schedule, I haven't been impressed with how they've gone about winning or the teams that they have played to this point. They're going to be undefeated when they run through the rest of the schedule and play a disappointing, you know, I imagine it's going to be a disappointing South Carolina team by the time we get to that point, but I just have not been impressed with them to this point. I agree with you in terms of Clemson. I thought they were going to put them in at five, but if they're undefeated at the end of the year, you know they're getting in, and if they put Clemson in, like let's say if TCU continues to be undefeated and they're undefeated at the end of the year, I go TCU over Clemson. I think TCU has just played better teams this year.

No question. I think TCU has played better teams this year. I think the Big 12 as a whole is better than the ACC. I actually like the way this TCU team plays, man, the resiliency that they have, the fight in the fourth quarter, the way that they never give up and find ways to win, even when it doesn't look great down the stretch.

Like this team has been fun to watch, so I have a lot of respect for what they've been able to accomplish, and certainly, again, I value the competition. They've played much more to this point than I do Clemson's schedule. And it's a shame because the Big 12 and Pac-12 has been awesome this year, and I think, you know, just watching it has been better than the ACC.

I'm sure you could give me all these stats in the world. It seems like the Big 12 and Pac-12, unless you got some chaos going down, really doesn't have a seat at the table this year. Yeah, I mean, again, we're basically two-thirds of the season through and strange things end up happening, but to think about the year that TCU's having, to think about what Oregon's been able to do since they're lost to Georgia, to finally not have representation from them when they've got worthy teams would be disappointing for sure.

You probably know how this is going to play out, right? You take out of these three schools, Tennessee, Georgia, and Alabama, you'll probably pick two. I think two SEC teams will and should get in, and then it's whoever wins Ohio State Michigan, and it does seem inevitable that Clemson's going to get in, Chris Dore.

Yeah, no, I think you're right about that. But it'll be interesting to see if TCU's able to remain unbeaten to see if Oregon, we're valuing, I think in a way, Alabama with their one loss being to the number one team in the country, the fact that they're still up as high as they are, ahead of a couple undefeated teams, valuing that loss. I know the Oregon loss was a lot bigger of a loss, but their one loss team was to a Georgia team that goes on to win the SEC Championship, and you look at potentially that game was played in the first week of the season with a new quarterback and a brand new coach. I think you could make an argument potentially to have Oregon in the mix.

How about Alabama? What do you think the likelihood is that they're going to make the college football playoff this year after they lost to Tennessee? I mean, the only chance they have to get in is to be the SEC champion. I'm not sure they make it past LSU this weekend, to be honest with you, but if they can find a way to get in, even a two-loss SEC champion is going to get into the college football playoffs.

There's no way you can sell me on that not being the case. Look at LSU. So if LSU wins this week, if they go on and get to Atlanta and win that game, their resume looks pretty good. They've gotten better as the season's gone on.

You can't tell me they're not deserving to get in, even as a two-loss team. What's going to be the difference this weekend between LSU and Alabama? Man, I'm interested to see what happens with the secondary of Alabama. You know, we saw them get torched by Tennessee.

They were much better in the following game against Mississippi State with very different offenses. I honestly believe that this LSU team has hit its stride with looking at Jaden Daniels' evolution. He's become a complete quarterback now. He's virtually unstoppable in the tight red zone with his own read stuff that he runs, but he's finally utilizing a talented group of pass catchers and giving those guys an opportunity.

So I've been impressed with his transformation. A guy that I thought was only a running quarterback early in the year, has turned into – I just had him in my rankings. I ranked the top five quarterbacks in the SEC to this point in the season. I had him at number three. I had Bryce Young at one, Hannah Hooker at two, and Jaden Daniels at three just because of how unstoppable he is running the football and the compliment that he's developed into the passing game.

Chris Doring here with us for a few more moments on the Zach Gelbshaw. I got to give credit to Brian Kelly because there was a lot of negativity with the whole fake accent stuff, then the first game of the season, the wacky recruiting videos. This has probably gone better than what I expected this year, and you're right. This is a huge test this weekend, and they had a great performance last week against Ole Miss. Yeah, you know why guys like Brian Harsing get fired is because of guys like Brian Kelly and Josh Hyple, the fact that you can take over a team and, you know, completely change the trajectory of the program as quickly as they have.

That's why you see guys getting fired after 21 games. But Brian Kelly, maybe because the bar was set so low after that Florida State game, I was shocked at how poorly they played in their opener. The mistakes, penalties, the special teams plays, just a general disorganization was not something that I expected from a Brian Kelly team, but what I did expect is what I've seen in terms of their improvement as the years gone on. And it looks like after that loss to Tennessee, something just kind of switched with that group, and all of a sudden they're playing with a lot of confidence, and I'll tell you, I don't know how many people nationally know the name Matt House, but I think he's one of the best defensive coordinators in the country. What he's been able to do to utilize some very talented, versatile athletes on the defensive side of the game plans that he's put together, the in-game adjustments that they made.

Looking at Harold Perkins Jr., the freshman phenomenal linebacker for them and how they made some adjustments in that game against Ole Miss to end up beating the Rebels after a slow start. I have a lot of respect for him and even more respect from Brian Kelly to identify and get him to come as his defensive coordinator to Baton Rouge. Talking to Chris Doran, clearly you've got to win games in this sport to keep your job, but when Brian Harsin was hired at Auburn, it seemed very underwhelming. Because Gus Malzahn, say what you want about him. The guy's a good football coach, and at the time he just felt like they did not improve that position. I know he wasn't their top guy, but that's the guy they ended up hiring. Was he just doomed from the start at Auburn?

First and foremost, you've got to be careful what you wish for, right? I mean, this was a guy in Gus Malzahn that had the best record of any active coach against Nick Saban. And that's the gold standard for everybody in this conference to compare themselves to, but certainly in the same state, it's very difficult for Auburn to get out from that shadow. But they go out and hire somebody from the outside, a very kind of odd hire to begin with. You know, it didn't seem like the administration, or excuse me, it didn't seem like the boosters more specifically were all that smoked up about it to begin with. And then the season they had last year, it was just a matter of time before he was going to be fired. I feel sorry for him in a way, and I know people can talk about the 15 million reasons to not be as part of his parting gift there.

But I do think it was set up for failure. He's a good coach, a guy that I think his players really liked and connected with, and unfortunately it just didn't work out. Is Lane Kiffin going to be the next head coach at Auburn, in your opinion? It's an interesting thought. You know, I've heard other people talk about, down the road, you know, Jimbo Fisher, if it doesn't work out there, that Lane could end up in College Station. You know, I just don't know why you would sign up for what has historically been a little bit of a mess. Like, he's got a great gig right now in Oxford, took him to 10 wins last year, sits atop a tie for the SEC West lead right now.

The transfer portal dominated the transfer portal. I don't know why you would want to throw yourself into that situation, but we saw John Cohen, the athletic director from Mississippi State, decide to leave to go to Auburn. I read a story that said that one former assistant said that the Auburn job is the worst, good job there is.

I don't know if Lane would want those headaches, especially after talking so much earlier in the season about what Oxford and Ole Miss has done for him personally. If you could pick three names that you would target if you were Auburn, who would be the three names right now? I mean, I think the most intriguing two names to me are Hugh Freese and Prime, Dion Sanders. I mean, those are two that I have to imagine that are getting some serious consideration, although, you know, there's been talk amongst the Auburn folks that they're looking for SEC experience. Hugh Freese certainly has that.

Dion Sanders does not. My understanding from what I've heard is that Lane Kiffin, is there number one target at this point? I think it comes down to more of Lane's interest in that job leaving Ole Miss. Here's my question just on Hugh Freese.

Sell me on it. I know what he did at Ole Miss both successfully and then everything that happened off the field. He just got that contract extension with Liberty. I guess it's not damaging for him to get out of it. It's $40 million guaranteed. But the timing of that's bizarre that he signed that extension and now everyone's talking about him potentially at Auburn. Yeah, I mean, I think the contract timing of it certainly was a nice investment from Liberty and, you know, shows their commitment to him. As you mentioned, for him to get out of the contract, I don't think it's much more than it was before.

And I'm sure that a program that wants to hire him is happy to write that check. Yeah, I believe all along that he's wanted to get back into the SEC. I believe that there's had to be some time away from the conference. But this is a guy that had a lot of success in this league. And I think he wants to get back to playing and coaching in this conference. And at the end of the day, I think people want to coach at the highest level.

And the highest level of football in the college ranks is the SEC. You saw Brian Kelly make a change to come here to be a part of, you know, what's historically been the best division in the history of college football with the SEC West dominating the way they have. But, you know, I have a lot of respect for Coach Freeze. And I would imagine that he finds his way back into this league before too long.

Two more for Chris Doring. How attractive of a name just in general is Bill O'Brien right now? You talk to Alabama fans. I don't think they're all that excited about him. They've been very critical, as they are typically, of a lot of their coordinators. But, yeah, I mean, I give him a lot of credit, too. This was a guy that had really coached a lot of years in the NFL, had a lot of success at that level. Obviously, he was at Penn State for a while before going back to the league. But he did what he needed to do, as a lot of coaches have, and going to Tuscaloosa and working their way through the system to kind of rehab their image and to give them some new life. And, you know, I imagine anybody that gets the seal of approval from Nick Saban is going to be an attractive commodity for some athletic directors and presidents out there. And last thing I'll ask you, your alma mater, Florida, your number one with Billy Napier there for and for the last two weeks, obviously, have been tough for them. Where's your confidence, though, with Billy Napier with what you've seen this year?

Yeah, I like Coach Napier an awful lot. I think he's come in, and just in the way that they play, going back to the Utah game, the resiliency they showed in that one, getting to stop late to win it, watching how they battled back against LSU in the fourth quarter to make it a one-possession ballgame. Even this week against Georgia, you saw them, you know, make a push in the third quarter to cut it to eight points.

I think these are – those are illustrations of a coach being connected with a team, a coach creating a culture of competitiveness and guys that are going to play hard. The biggest thing right now, you look at it – I mean, Georgia turned the ball over three times. They had multiple busts in the secondary on coverage.

They didn't play their best, and they still won by 22 points. I think that it speaks to just how talented that roster is. And I think you look, there's a big disparity in the overall talent that Georgia has from where Florida is. So Billy Napier's biggest task right now is trying to go out and upgrade the talent, particularly on the defensive line. That's been a point of emphasis.

But in general, they've got to get a lot better on defense just personnel-wise than they are right now to be able to compete in the SEC. Chris Doring, appreciate the time. Thank you. Yeah, thanks for having me back on. And download the free Odyssey app today. And do we mention it's all free? Yeah, today.