Todd Blackledge, NBC Big 10 CFB Analyst

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They even did an NFL game last week and with the college football playoff right around the corner on New Year's Day. We're inching closer and closer. Todd is kind enough to jump on board with us for a few minutes. Also, just a reminder, this portion of the show is brought to you by Wesley Financial. Stuck in a time share and want out.

Contact Wesley Financial Group now and get a free time share exit information kit at WesleyFinancialGroup.com. Todd, appreciate you doing this. How you been?

I'm good, Zach. Good to be with you, man. Well, thanks so much for coming on. That was pretty neat doing the NFL game. I know you've called so many games, but you and Noah have such great chemistry and I thought you guys did an excellent job getting into the Pro booth. Thank you.

I appreciate that. It's been a long time. I mean, I think it's been over 20 years since I did a regular season NFL game. And so, you know, the mechanics of just doing a football game are the same, but the game is different. The pace of the game is different.

Obviously, the players are better and not. But it was a lot of fun. You know, it was fun to be back in Pittsburgh. My dad coached for the Steelers for 10 years back with Chuck Knoll. And so it's a great NFL football city and it was certainly fun to call the game.

And I thought, you know, Noah and I just kind of did what we did. You know, and Catherine Tappan is excellent on the sideline too. So it was a overall, I thought it was a really good broadcast. When we get to the college football playoff, a big topic of conversation with Jim Harbaugh is there's no extension yet.

It was reported for a while that they were going to get it done. They asked him about the NFL. He basically gave a bunch of no answers one way or the other. I think this is it for Harbaugh at Michigan.

How about yourself? Yeah, I don't know. I mean, earlier in the year, I thought for sure he was probably going to look to move on.

But I don't know at this point. I mean, obviously, Michigan is making a really strong effort to keep him. They're pleased with what he's done. Controversy aside, through this season, he has done a great job. And, you know, this team over the last three years has been as good as any in college football. And I think this year's team is the best that he's had.

When you look at this matchup going up against Alabama, if you had to make the case why Michigan can win this game, how do you kind of formulate that argument? Well, I think they're a team that is a very close knit team. They play for one another. They're a very unselfish team. And they're very talented. You know, I remember earlier in the year talking to a couple NFL people and they said they thought this team had maybe 17, 15 to 17 draftable guys. I mean, that's a talented roster. That's the kind of roster we're used to seeing an Alabama half or a Georgia half.

So I think they're very talented. I think the biggest case for Michigan is if J.J. McCarthy plays the way he's capable of playing. If he plays a great game, Michigan is going to be tough to beat.

And that's the thing. Last year up against TCU, I didn't think the staff utilized his legs enough in the first half. You know, why not at this point? Like, you got to let J.J. McCarthy cook. And I think the mobility of McCarthy will be the difference in this game if Michigan finds a way to win or not if they allow him to be the mobile quarterback that he could be. Yeah, I think he's going to have to. I mean, you know, Alabama defensively is very good. They've gotten better all through the year. They're not going to allow somebody to just sit in the pocket and be comfortable.

They're going to come after him. And so I think his mobility, very much like Jalen Milro and his ability to extend plays and move in the pocket, that's going to be a big factor in this game for both teams. And then you saw it a little bit in the Ohio State game as Todd Blackledge joins us. They went to that other quarterback, the backup Alex Orji, to start the second half.

And he gave him a little jolt of energy running the football as well. Harbaugh in these big games, you've seen him have some trick plays. I know he doesn't have a completion this entire year, but I feel like they're going to use Alex Orji a little bit in that second half to try to catch Alabama off guard. Well, they might, but certainly Alabama will be prepared for that and be prepared for him to run the football if he comes in. I think if they do play him, I think that they should let him try to throw the football because that would be, you know, the thing maybe Alabama isn't as much ready for.

But they'll be ready for him running the football, certainly. When you look at Alabama, it's remarkable. Like after the Texas game, and that was all the way back in week two, Todd Blackledge, everyone jumped off them because in this sport, if you have two losses, you're cooked, you're not getting into a 14-college football playoff. And I thought, I'll admit it, I thought it was inevitable they would have another loss.

And Milro, even after getting bench, has just improved each and every week. I know they had that scare up against Auburn. But just when people start to doubt Nick Saban, he finds a way to show everyone who's the best coach. Yeah, I mean, I think this may have been as fine of a coaching job that he's done in his time at Alabama because you mentioned the Texas game, but even the week after that against South Florida, it was an ugly win. And they had a quarterback issue.

They weren't sure who their guy was going to be. And after that point, Nick said, okay, we're going to go with Jalen Milro. We're going to stick with him. We're going to grow with him. And as he got better and more confident, more comfortable, their team got better.

And I really think that that's what you saw. And certainly the last regular season game against Auburn, they were kind of lucky to hit that play on 31 yards. They needed on fourth down, but they found a way. And then they were good against Georgia in the SEC championship game. So I think this is a team that got better as the year went on. And again, I think Nick Saban did a wonderful job coaching this group of players. Revisiting the four teams that got in Michigan, Washington, Texas, and Alabama. Do you think the committee got it right? I do.

I really do. And I know it really stinks for Florida State. It was unprecedented for an undefeated conference champion to not get in. But with Jordan Travis being hurt, I just think that had to weigh into the factor.

There was some great quarterback play all through the season, and they certainly weren't the same team without him. And it showed up in the game against Florida. It showed up in the ACC championship game against Louisville. And so I do think they got it right. And unfortunately for Florida now, or Florida State, you know, they're going into this game against Georgia without most of their weapons.

Yeah. And so I don't think we're going to really see what Florida State's team was all about in this bowl game. But I do think they got it right. I think that the committee's job was to pick the four best teams and not the foremost deserving teams.

And by doing that, I think they got it correct. And I'll never fault a college athlete for skipping the bowl game, you know, if they're getting ready for the NFL draft or if they're entering the transfer portal. But that was the one team that I really wanted to see play at full strength, even though they wouldn't have Jordan Travis because of the injury to just see, okay, Florida State, can you beat Georgia? That was one of the bowl games where now a lot of times, Todd Blackledge really only care about the semi final national championship. That was the one I was most looking forward to. But now there's really not a lot to look forward to there.

Yeah. And it'll be interesting to see just how Georgia approaches it and plays, you know, I mean, this is a team that, you know, is tough for Florida State, certainly, but here's the Georgia team that was one or two all year and beat it and they go all the way out. So I think that they have a great football team. I was very impressed with how Carson Beck played and, and really the other thing to think about with Georgia is, you know, Mike Bobo took over for Todd Munkin, who took the job of the Ravens and, and obviously he's doing a great job as the offensive coordinator for Lamar Jackson and that offense in Baltimore.

And Mike Bobo did an excellent job with a new quarterback in Carson Beck. And, and, and so I'm excited to see what Georgia looks like in their final game of the season. Could you imagine if Florida State beats Georgia? Like, could we have a UCF case on our hand where we start to have a Florida State claim that they're the national champs being undefeated?

You know, there might be some noise. It can't happen, but, but I'll be very, very surprised if Florida State beats Georgia. I think they'll hang with them for a while, but I think ultimately Georgia will be, will prove to be a stronger football team.

All right. Get into the other game, Texas and Washington. And I see Washington's a four and a half, five point underdog. They were a nine and a half point underdog up against Oregon before the PAC 12 championship game. I love what Kalen DeBoer has done with this program in two years, only having two losses. It's crazy though. I still feel like they don't get the respect that they're deserving of this season.

Well, I don't know. I mean, I think a lot of people that watch football have given them a lot of respect. I think that what they've done is impressive. I think the PAC 12 was outstanding this year in their final year. The Oregon team that they beat twice is a really, really good football team.

So I think that they deserve to be there. And when I look at this matchup with Texas, they're very, very similar when it comes to offensive skill, power, and, and, you know, positions where I think Texas has a slight edge is I think they're better in the trenches on the defensive line, on the offensive line, and in games like this, having covered the college football playoff every year, except this year, when you get to this level on this point, the teams that win the line of scrimmage typically are the teams that win the game. And so I think Texas is a little better at the line of scrimmage, but Washington has had a magical season, you know, much like Michigan had a magical season and great history and belief in each other. You know what Michael Pennix Jr. and that offense has done and what that team has done.

You can't negate that. They're going to go into that game, believing they're the best team in the country. Maybe you have a different opinion on this than I do, but it feels like Texas and Washington is going to be a high scoring affair like maybe something 34 31, if not even north of that. I think it will be more high scoring than potentially the other game. I just think that, you know, those two teams are driven by offense and their ability to make big plays explosive plays in both the run game in the past game and.

And so I think both defenses will have their hands full on that one. And you also have Washington now going into a new conference after this year the big 10 and Texas going into the SEC. Do you think those programs we all know the brand of Texas? We know who Sark is as a coach. We know what Kalen DeBoer has done, but can both of those schools succeed in their new conference, which is going to be a bigger challenge.

I think so. I mean, obviously recruiting, you know, is paramount and I think both teams are recruiting at a high level right now. And I think, you know, I'm excited working for NBC in the big 10 for those four teams to come in to our league next year because not only are they big brands and successful teams, but they bring a style of offense that the big 10 is not used to seeing on a weekly basis. The big 10 is a defense driven conference. And I think when you look at Oregon and Washington and UCLA and USC coming into the league. They're going to challenge some of those defenses with a different brand of offense so I think it's really exciting and, you know, Texas and Oklahoma, moving to the SEC. Again, I think their rosters are better right now and more suitable to go into that conference and they were maybe a couple years ago.

So I think they'll be able to compete as well. Who do you think, by the way, will be a better pro quarterback, Caleb Williams or Drake May? You know, I think they both have a chance to be very successful I really do they're different. You know Drake May is athletic, but he doesn't make the kind of wild plays you know with his legs that Caleb Williams does and the arm slots and all of that. I think a lot of it depends on where they go, what they're surrounded by, and just how their coach and how they're brought along you know, I live here in Charlotte and Bryce young I think Bryce young is a great quarterback, but it has been a struggle for him in year one, and a lot of that is not his doing it's what's around him it's how he's protected the weapons on the outside so a lot of that, you know, in terms of projecting Caleb and Drake is going to have to do with, you know, things outside of their control, and I know Justin Fields right now is with the Chicago Bears there's a good chance that they're going to have the number one overall pick from that Bryce young trade with the Panthers that you just brought up, I would not have said this a few weeks ago, but I'm kind of the mindset now Todd Blackledge that they should keep Justin Fields, and, and they should find the way to go draft Marvin Harrison Jr because if you could but fields with Marvin Harrison Jr and DJ more man that that's setting up fields that maybe reaches potential in Chicago. Yeah, I think Justin Fields this show something here of late and I think that, you know, I think he maybe has has garnered that kind of respect with Chicago and look Marvin Harrison Jr I've covered him for a couple years. He's the most NFL ready guy going into the draft I think he's the best player in the draft. Yeah, I think he's ready to be a star from day one.

He has everything you want in a wide receiver and so I could certainly see that being the case. Alrighty, let's get a prediction or two out of you, who wins Michigan Alabama who wins Texas Washington, what are you rolling with. Yeah, I'm going to go, I'm going to go with Michigan in that game and I'm going to go because of JJ McCarthy I just I'm a big fan of his. I think that he will play an outstanding football game and manage the pressure that Alabama is going to bring I also like Blake quorum I think he's a great football player and, you know, so I think they will find a way. And then in the other game I'm going to go with Texas, I just think that I think that that Quinn yours and again I think it's because of the strength in the trenches that will win the day for Texas when it's all said and done. And, you know, you never want to see an injury happen obviously but now with Malik Murphy transferred over to Duke. Yeah, do you think arch Manning at all plays, like, if he's on the field playing you'd probably think it's because of injury but this shark maybe throw them in there for a player to and maybe have something dial up that Caitlin the bar wasn't expected. I don't know if he will simply because when you talk about when yours and arch Manning, they're the same guy, right, it's the same office so he's not going to come in and throw a kind of a curveball like orgy would for Michigan.

So if you put him in, you're going to be expecting the same offense the same plays being called for either guy. He's Todd Blackledge did a great job all throughout the years but covering college football obviously you see them on TV for years, but really enjoyed the booth of Noah Eagle and Todd Blackledge all throughout the year on NBC, Todd appreciate the time Happy New Year to you and your family. Thanks, Zach Happy New Year to you as well. You got it. Thanks so much.

There is Todd Blackledge joining us on CBS Sports Radio. Okay, what's the number one reason you should try Instacart shopping over 1.5 million unique products from over 1000 retailers and get everything delivered right to your door and as fast as one hour, all in one app. So you can spend more time with the ones who matter most visit instacart.com to get free delivery on your first three orders offer valid for a limited time $10 minimum per order additional terms apply.