Barrett Sallee, CBS Sports College Football Analyst

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Listen on the Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts. He's a Braves fan. I can't stand his guts because as a Mets fan, I have nothing to say. So since it's November, we're in the clear. And I go back to liking Barrett Sallee, who is a tremendous college football insider analyst for CBS that he joins us right now. Barrett, how are you?

I'm good. Hey, this is the best time of the year for the Mets, right? Because you're not playing baseball. They're not breaking your heart. That false sense of hope is creeping back in.

You might get show Aotani and I'm sure that'll tank if you do get them because you'll go on. You'll have a disappointing season like always. But this is the time for hope for Mets fans, because when April rolls around, that hope will disappear. Yeah, I forgot to send you my condolence card for your great regular season, then your failure in the postseason this year. I did. I didn't watch the Mets.

Is that what you're doing now? You're taking a participation trophy that you're not the Mets. That's embarrassing. You're better than that.

Barret Sallee. I expect higher standards from you. I'm really not. All right.

Let me start you off with Michigan. So Harbaugh accepts the suspension today. They weren't going to get the injunction in courts is my understanding. So you take the two game suspension and this gets the can kicked down the road until whatever the NCAA wants to decide.

What was your reaction to it? Yeah, not surprised. You know, billable hours are always undefeated and there were billable hours all week, right? For the lawyers, they got paid. Jim Harbaugh has finality and and chicken knows what's going on. But this was this was always going to be the case. There was no there's no precedent for any of this. I mean, basically, the Big Ten took what was an investigation that was not complete and decided to punish based on that. The NCAA still can do whatever it wants to do. So it was all public pressure. The Big Ten had to do something. Michigan couldn't fight this because the PR, the look would be awful. So I'm not surprised at all that this is how how it ended up. And and now, you know, we have Sharon Moore, one more tune up before he plays Ohio coaches against Ohio State.

And, you know, again, I go back to all of this. If you gave a coach a preference, do you want to miss a game or do you want to miss the six other days? The coach is OK missing the game now.

The six other days are what's more important. You know, I'm just wondering because people forget about what happened before the start of the season. And we know the NCAA loves to be petty. Do you think what happened before the start of the season where Michigan and Jim Harbaugh, they didn't bow down, they did the self-imposed three game suspension. Will that factor in to this maybe future suspension from the NCAA with the sign stealing scandal or they separate? I think they're separate. I think that, you know, it's just a it's sort of a book into what was a very bizarre season for Jim Harbaugh.

And, yeah, I don't think they're related at all. I don't think the NCAA is going to going to have, you know, anything to do with that. I mean, look at there are some steps and rules within the the NCAA rule book where, you know, if you're under investigation, you can compound things and have further, you know, you can for sure if you're already under investigation and whatever that's I don't think that'll be taken into account because honestly, I don't think Jim Harbaugh is going to be there anyway. And the NCAA is more on this mission to punish the coach, not the program. And, you know, if the coach isn't there, if there is a problem and you do have to punish somebody for the sign stealing investigation, once the NCAA's investigation is wrapped up, you're still going to probably punish the coach and not the program. And I don't think the coach is going to be there. So today's news doesn't change anything because for you in terms of Harbaugh, you know, coming back and signing that long-term extension is what you're saying. I don't think that's going to happen. And look, I think he's going to go through a process this year.

And I think he did it last year as well, last off season where coaches look in the mirror and have to decide, Hey, is this for me? Because there are so many other things that you have to do now. I mean, even as compared to five years ago, I mean, you have to recruit your own roster all day, every day, 365 days a year. That's exhausting.

In addition to high school recruiting, transfer portal, recruiting, hiring assistance, NIL deals, all of that stuff. It's exhausting. And so for Jim Harbaugh, I kind of felt like he was kind of going down that road a little bit where it's like, I don't want to do this. That's why he flirted with the NFL the last couple of years.

And it's only getting worse. So, yeah, I think that it's not only him. I think a lot of coaches are going to look in the mirror this off season and probably already have looked in the mirror and say, you know, is, is this for me? Or can I go to the NFL and just coach ball all day long? That's why I laugh when A&M, their, their dream candidate was Dan Campbell. It's nice to have dreams and dream big, but when you have something rolling in the NFL, like Dan Campbell has with the Lions, I don't care that he attended A&M.

He's not leaving the NFL where it's easier to go to A&M, which is not, which is a good job, but it's not an easy job. Well, Zach, I dreamed that my hairline's going to stop proceeding. That's why I wear the hats, man. Yeah. I also dreamed when I was a kid that I was going to date Beyonce. It never happened. Let me ask you about Paul.

Well, trust me, I'm not in the same league as Jay-Z. Let me ask you about our favorite college football insider, Paul Finebaum these days, where he goes from defending Michigan to trashing Michigan. I saw he was on Dan Patrick today and he said he'll refuse to recognize Michigan as the national champion if they win it all this year. I think that's ridiculous, but do you think a lot of people share that sentiment that they'll look at this sideways if Michigan goes on to win it all?

I don't think people will look at it to that extreme. If Michigan does, and it's funny that I'm going to make the comparison to completely different scenarios, but the timeline and the reaction are the same. The Auburn Cam Newton, 2010 season, the whole month of November, it was simmering. It was there. It was the talk of not just people in my world, college football, diehards, but also national sports radio, source TV stations and radio and all that other stuff. That's where this Michigan thing is. When Auburn won that national championship with Cam, there were people that said, I'm never going to recognize it. Now they do. I think in this case, if you're saying you're not going to recognize Michigan as national champions if they win, you're having a hot take for the sake of having a hot take.

There are a lot of those out there, not just on this subject, but a lot of other subjects. They draw eyeballs, they draw clicks, whatever, but I think if Michigan goes on to win this, yeah, it's part of the story. There's no doubt it's part of the story, but am I going to recognize it? Of course, I'm going to recognize it.

I think everybody will. You're in charge of, let's say, the college football playoff committee. Barrett Salih is here with us.

I give you that power. At the end of the year, Alabama is a one-loss SEC champion. Texas is a one-loss Big 12 champ. But as you know, back in week two of the college football season, Texas goes into Tuscaloosa. They win the game by two points.

Who would you put in and why? Texas. I mean, it's so hard to win on the road and the committee values road wins in a huge, huge way. Road wins against top 10 teams. I mean, that's like, check, check, check, check.

That's like, it lights up like a slot machine. And I would put Texas in there. And here's the thing too. The committee, they always factor in the injury concerns. If you're Texas, if it's just down to those two, one loss Texas and one loss Alabama, which in this situation would have had a win over Georgia in the SEC championship game. If it's just those two, you're going to look at Texas and they're going to say, all right, head to head win. And then finished off the season, lost their quarterback mid season, still won games.

And then now lost their running back, who was the focal point of that offense, who's not going to be around the rest of the season. So that is, that's more than enough to, to keep Alabama from jumping them. And is there going to be this, is the discussion there? Yeah. But I think the only part of that discussion that makes sense to me in this scenario would be Alabama's hotter. Well, yeah.

I mean, that's fine. They also lost to Texas and Texas at that point was still trying to find itself too. So yeah, I don't, I don't see a scenario where a one loss Texas big 12 champ falls behind one loss Alabama SEC champ, knowing still that that one, that Alabama would have a win over Georgia in that situation.

Everything you just said, I agree with and I would operate the same way. I just do not trust the committee to do what you just said and what I've been saying as well. I just can't see how they would leave out a one loss SEC champion in Alabama. I look, I get it, but if we're going to sit here, you're saying that the branding is part of this, right?

Yeah. That's what I think the committee will say. I think the game should matter.

They won head to head. Texas should get in. Well, yes, I get it, but it's also Texas. Like, okay, yeah, the SEC brand matters, but so does the brand of Texas. And they never will say this. And look, I get mad at me when I say it, brand matters. Marketing matters. They're never going to say it. They might not even, the individuals might not even think it, but subconsciously they know it. They know what it means. And Texas, that brand matters a lot.

And here's the thing too. In this scenario, Alabama would have the win over Georgia. That's great. It'd have a win over Tennessee.

That's okay. The win over Ole Miss doesn't look as good now. Some of those signature wins are kind of falling off a little bit. And at the same time, we still don't know what's going to happen with Texas, but they could be on the verge of chaos in the big 12. And, um, you know what that means and what, what signature wins will develop between now and selection Sunday, because there's a lot that could change Barrett's silly about three weeks away from that. I'm just wondering right now, if you had to pick who you think will be the four teams at the end of the finish line, who do you think the four teams will be?

Well, so here's the thing you look at pinned at the top of my ex profile. I have my preview, my preseason picks. I am still sticking with the four I have.

And this, this is, I'm not making this up. I had Georgia one. I had Ohio state too. I had Florida state three and Oregon four.

Wow. And I do not think that's going to change because Ohio state's going to run the table. Florida state's going to run the table and Oregon's going to be watching in the back 12 championship game to slide into that fourth spot. I agree with you on Oregon. I think George Alabama is going to be epic right now, though.

I would leave with Georgia. Why do you think this year is different for Ohio state up against Michigan? Cause right now I'm picking Michigan. And that may have to do with a few things that people are now calling me a Michigan fan and a big Michigan supporter.

Well, I mean, I see the maze and blue behind you on the wall, so, you know, that's just a Fern. But no, I, I think the, the difference is Jim Knoll's defense year two, Ohio state has significantly improved in that area. Do you trust McCord? Yeah.

I don't think there's a reason not to at this point. You know, he's, he's a first year starter. He's been progressively getting better. And it helps to be healthy and they navigate speaking to, you know, we said Texas went through a bunch of injury issues and it did. I mean, Ohio states were, were huge and Kyle McCord, like an average quarterback would have let that destroy him mentally.

And Kyle McCord didn't. So I think the defense helps. I mean, even if they're just average, then they can, I think can, can slow down or do enough to be a national championship caliber team. And I think they're much better than that. And as a result, I think they'll slow down Michigan and get the job done.

I mean, look, I it's a great game. It's going to be a game between two top four teams as it should be, because those are phenomenal teams. But I think this is a more complete Ohio state team than we've seen really since probably 2014. Does Washington Barrett's league go down to Oregon state this weekend? No, but they will go down to Oregon in a couple of weeks when the PAC 12 championship game gets set. But I think Oregon state, they have so much motivation because of the PAC two thing. But, and they run the football, but Washington, and I know that Washington's defense is crap and it has been for a long time, but styles make fights. Washington's offense is going to make Oregon state score 30.

And even against Washington's defense, I don't think Oregon state can do that. When you get to Dan Lanning, I'm a big fan of him. He's just, I said this to him when he was on the show last time, he's a football psycho.

And I mean that in like the nicest way possible. He gets on the field and it's just like a spell overtakes him and he's nuts. He's awesome.

It's wonderful to see his energy. I believe him. And I usually don't believe coaches when they say this, when he's not leaving Oregon to go to A and M I know his name has been thrown out there. I think he should learn from what Willie Taggart did leaving Oregon for Florida state.

And I don't even know what Lee Taggart is right now. But do you believe Dan Lanning when he says I'm not leaving Oregon to go to A&M? Yes.

Yes. He's got a better job. Oregon's a better job than Texas A&M because you have the same amount of support. You know that it's there. The Phil Knight money is there. The Nike money is there.

You're going to the victim. Now granted, I think the revenue is going to take a while for Oregon to get the full revenue. I get that, but it's going to come eventually. And it's a lot easier path in the big 10 than it is in the SEC. And so I think Dan Lanning, I think that the difference between a top five job and a top 50 job is so much smaller now than it was 20 years ago. I think Oregon right now is a top 10 job. I think Texas A&M probably is too, but what's the difference? It's your taste, right?

Do you want a $50 stake or do you want a $50 piece of salmon, whatever you're in the mood for, right? I think Dan Lanning stays. I think he knows that he can win at Oregon with this blueprint in the big 10 because his blueprint is very reminiscent of what he had at Georgia.

It's recruiting, it's getting big, fast, defensive lineman and offensive lineman. He's doing that. And I think some of his mistakes this year, specifically in the Washington game came from the fact that he's still new at this. It's hard to make decisions when you're a second year head coach under the biggest spotlight of your life. And I think he can fix that. I think he can win at an elite level now and in the big 10.

So I think he stays. If you had to take a guess right now, A&M and Mississippi State, who would your guesses be to fill those vacancies? Mississippi State, Jamie Chadwell from Liberty, formerly of Coastal Carolina. And A&M, I change every hour on this, but I'm going to say Mike Elko at Duke. And has the connections are obviously being at Texas A&M before taking the Duke job. Actually, you know what?

But here's the thing. And to say this is a dark horse for every job, I'm going to say this name, Jonathan Smith at Oregon State. He's cheap, he wants out of the pack too. I mean, he's a great coach. I mean, if you have a vacancy, you call him and say, hey, man, what do you want? What do you want? Because, you know, we could probably provide anything that you need here.

But I think Elko for Texas A&M and Jamie Chadwell for Mississippi State. What's the interest? Not saying he's going to leave, but what is the interest from schools you think in this process on Coach Prime through year one at Colorado? I don't think there's a lot. And I think it's because their jury's still out on what this blueprint can do. Right. Sizzles there. We know that.

The sizzles there. You're going to deliver the state? He hasn't yet. I mean, well, I guess he has to a degree because he got the spotlight on Colorado. That's part of why he's hired.

That's great. The expectations change after the first two weeks of the season. Before the year, if you told me four or five wins, everyone would have signed for that. When you go three, no, you're expect to get to bowl game and he's not going to go to a bowl game. And I told and we said on Sirius XM on my show on Sunday mornings, I'm like, do not change your expectations. Do not reset your expectations. If you didn't think you'd get to a bowl game, he's probably not still. And he's not.

That's fine. It's a great season. I think the jury's still out from 80s on. Can you still win? Because the marketing aspect of it, the sizzle factor. You can make a ton of money, you can make a ton of money, but in the backend is, is it going to matter all that much or will it fade away? And I think there's a lot of people looking at Colorado thinking, all right, it's the foundation's there, but we'd still don't know what's going to happen. We don't know if this plan is going to work. And I think a lot will be determined by what he does this off season to supplement that roster to actually build that debt. Cause that's the problem. They have no depth whatsoever and they need it. He knows it.

And I think he's going to have to show that he can implement it in order to get looks at other bigger jobs. He is Barrett Salih, does a phenomenal job covering college football for CBS. Barrett, thanks so much for the time. Always appreciate it.

You too, Zach. Go Braves. There he is. Barrett Salih, right at the end of the conversation, getting his Braves propaganda. I can't stand him on Twitter when he's chiming and popping off about his Atlanta Braves.

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