College Football and Pro Football

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And right now, if you download Instacart, you'll get free delivery on your first three orders and delivery in as fast as one hour. Offer valid for a limited time, $10 minimum per order, additional term supply. Alright, we continue our number two of our radio program. That's right, it is the Zach Gelb show coast to coast on CBS Sports Radio. We are inching closer and closer to Monday for the college football playoff to commence. We have Michigan and Alabama in the Rose Bowl, and then we will have the Sugar Bowl, of course, between Texas and Washington. And I was texting my buddy Roman Harper the other day, former NFL safety, played his college ball at Alabama, and I was like, I'm excited for Alabama and Michigan. And he was like, I'm more excited for Texas and Washington. And I'm like, I think Alabama, Michigan's going to be a great game. And he's like, Zach, I know you like Michigan. I know you're rooting for Michigan, but Alabama is going to kick the crap out of the Wolverines.

So now joining us, Alabama Homer, excuse me, I mean, former Alabama safety, now a part of the SEC Network, the great Roman Harper. Roman, appreciate the time. How you been, my friend? Zach, I'm good, man. First of all, it was a great picture of you and your little logo leading up to it that I was looking at.

It was just a great picture of you, just letting you know that. And I'm not saying Michigan, Alabama will cook the crap out of Michigan. But I do think they're going to win the game. And I'm still waiting on you to convince me how Michigan wins this game.

Well, you convinced me first. Why are you so confident about the Alabama Crimson Tide and why they're going to take down Michigan? Well, being I'm going to take all as much bias out as I can, and I just look at the teams for what they are. And, you know, styles make fights. And when I watch Alabama, I think they have the advantage. So let's just look at what because.

All right. How does each team go about winning the game? And so when I look at Michigan, Michigan is an undefeated conference champion that does what they do. That's what they've done all year long. Doesn't matter who they play.

They are who they are. They haven't really changed personalities versus this team versus that team. So they'll run first team that's going to use 21, 12 personnel, multiple tight ends. And they run the football, then they throw the football off of that. And so in mostly utilizing the tight ends as well, which is a great matchup versus most teams. Then I look on the other side and I look at Alabama's defense and I'm like, all right, well, Alabama's big. Nobody's just going to out physical and push them around. I know Michigan is going to move gaps and pull guys and do some other things to make sure the gaps are moving. And not just trying to bully Alabama, but they do like to play bully ball.

And nobody really bullies Alabama since Nick Saban's been there. They're too big. They're too physical. That's just what he recruits. And then, OK, so you use two tight ends.

You want to do some other things. Michigan has one receiver. That's a threat. Roman Wilson, my favorite name in college football. And then so he's a threat. They like to use him in different motion situations to get him open, get him off the line because he's not a very big guy. So they use motion to get him away from guys and then get him up the field and big explosive plays come off of that outside of that. Then they use tight ends like Colton, Colston, late, late. Yeah, that's it.

And number 89, his name is missing my slip of my nine minute right now, too. So these are the tight ends they use. And so Alabama with Caleb Downs, they're going to use him in big nickel situations, put him in the box.

They still have their coverage guys on the outside and Terry on and Kool-Aid McKintry. Alabama loves that matchup and the strength in the strength of Alabama's defense is the secondary piece. And so if you don't have the advantage where you can get big and still be able to run the ball and pass off of it because now you have safety that can cover. You also have the two corners on the outside that you love that matchup versus any receiver of Michigan. That's advantage Alabama.

And so where do you get the advantage at? Okay, quarterback runs, but JJ McCarthy's athletic. He's not Mike Vick. It's a difference. And so if they were able to handle Jayden Daniels in the same type of situations with a great rush plan, I think they have the same ability to be able to do that versus a Michigan team that JJ McCarthy is not the same threat that Jayden Daniels in.

So I'm looking at that. I'm like, okay, how's Michigan getting to 24 points? They have to get to 24 points some kind of way or another. And I think Alabama with their explosiveness on offense and all you have to stop with Jaylen Milro. Michigan is not face the quarterback like Jaylen Milro. I understand he has some some deficiencies here and there whatever you want to say, but Michigan has not spied a quarterback all year long. So now you got to implement some kind of spy game and we saw Georgia do that for the first time and it didn't work for Georgia as well either. So it's going to be really really interesting to see how Michigan gets those 24 points or 2428 to 30 points to try and win this game versus Alabama. I know that Alabama be able to score at some point. I just don't know how much because of the explosiveness of their offense and also they're running their quarterback. Yes, so we have a different view on this game. Roman Harper is here with us is a great job SEC Network. You said 24 points.

It's funny. My final score for this game is Michigan 23 Alabama 20 and I think this is a physical old school style football game and Blake quorum is the toughest running back in the country. Donovan Edwards will be good for one big explosive play that we're usually not accustomed to allowing to be able to see Nick Saban given that up and then you hit the nail on the head McCarthy is going to be the difference in this game and I say this full disclosure. I do not love JJ McCarthy, but I think the best thing to happen to Michigan was last year. I'm screaming when it was Michigan TCU uses legs uses legs uses legs and they allowed him to be a little bit more mobile in the second half against TCU. Now, I know they're not going up against TCU. They're going up against Alabama. I get that but I think they unleash McCarthy coming up on Monday and they trust his legs early in the game and I think that's going to make for a major difference. Yeah, I think so. The thing I like about quorum is that he's a running back that kind of hits the hole with speed and power right like reminds me a lot of Mark England marking him with hit the hole.

He explodes through the hole with power. So they break a lot more arm tackles and things of that nature, but Michigan's old line without the guard. They've had an injury or two up front.

Yeah, the offensive line the last two years. You're right on that. Right? I agree. I agree with that.

So it's like, all right. So how do they get those explosive runs Alabama? They're like dude, we're going to put eight nine guys in the box and dare you to beat us another way. And so and you give Nick Saban a month to prepare. I just think a lot of these things are leaning towards Alabama's favor when I continue to rattle my brain about how's how do you go about winning this game?

How do you go about winning this game? Now the one thing that we cannot count on our turnovers and if Michigan forces Alabama into mistakes and turnovers on defensively or special teams, then Michigan sets themselves up to win this game. But if you do not do that, this thing's all square and turnovers that I don't think it bodes well for Michigan. That's just the matchup that I see and you definitely do not want this to be any type of drop back game because Michigan's old line to tackles. They look more like guards that are playing tackle and that just is not a good matchup versus Dallas Turner or Chris Braswell, but we know can both really really rush the passer efficiently. So I'm really interested in intrigued about the matchups in the unknown of Jim Harbaugh. I think the unknown of Jim Harbaugh is another thing that not enough people are going to talk about that. I really look at because I played against Jim Harbaugh when he was coaching the 49ers in the playoffs.

He's always got a player to a wrinkle that nobody sees nobody's ready for. So how do you stay disciplined enough to be ready and prepared for those things? So those big plays don't kill you and cost you and so Alabama did a great job versus Georgia keeping everything in front of them playing a lot more coverage keeping too high safeties playing a lot more combo coverages where every every two receivers that you got we got three defenders on them. Okay, and so we win in that number and then we're gonna let our upfront guys win in the run game stay disciplined in your gaps because when I watch Miss you don't tape. It's not like they're just blowing people off the ball as much as they're so consistent with the run game. All they need is one guy to get out of a gap and Blake Corman Donovan Edwards hit that whole late and then that's when they get their explosive play. So Alabama has to stay stiffly disciplined in their run gaps. And if they do that, they just make it so much harder on Michigan because Michigan is not an explosive team outside of the run game and then a couple of deep shots down the field. So but when you just look at them per player, Alabama is not afraid of Roman Wilson. They're not afraid of coasting Loveland.

So that part of it. I think Alabama is a different sense of confidence maybe quiet conference, but I like the matchup if I'm Alabama and I can't wait to you actually want to mention the other game as well. Well, you know, I know you're a Michigan guy, but we'll get to that game in just a second. But you talk about a trick play. I'm telling you there's going to be a second half orgy in this game with Alex orgy.

They've been used in the last few weeks run run run. He is going to have a big pass in his this game and come and make his first completion of the season. Get ready for that second half orgy Roman.

I would I would I would be shocked but I wouldn't be shocked because this is exactly what I just said what happened. What is that hard? I was going to do something that nobody's ready for because the moment as orgy comes in.

I'm going zero blitz. I'm taking I mean up all the gaps and I'm gonna make him beat us some kind of some other way than just a quarterback power, which is all these shown to be able to do or that they've allowed him to do so far. That's not all he can do.

But I'm sure but that is what he does really well. He's a big quarterback to that runs downhill. So but Alabama man, they're just really big as well. So it you know, I and maybe we're all are becoming, you know, we're just so used to the last time we saw these teams which was Michigan really struggling to put on the offensive showcase versus the Iowa team. Yeah, that's not very athletic that I've never seen the defense run cover three so many times in one game and just never mix up any other look and versus Michigan and Michigan couldn't do anything about it because what I would did was they just got their gaps and stayed there and we didn't get out of our gaps.

We didn't we all stayed in the place. We were supposed to be at and if you're disciplined enough to be boring and basic and just do that all day consistently enough and you're going to give yourself a chance because the biggest thing is run the run game to stop the running game. It's all a numbers game. If I got eight guys, I got that Vantage now if you bring in the quarterback run game, then you got nine.

So because you got an extra blocker, so then you got a little bit extra problems. That's why you're saying JJ McCarthy could be up but I just if Michigan wants to all of a sudden do something completely different. I don't know most teams that are successful that way that have been able to win 10 games that are undefeated conference champion that has reached the pinnacle the number one team in the country doing things one way and then all of a sudden getting the biggest game of the year and do it a little bit or completely different.

That's just really hard for everybody to wrap their heads around but you do have a month to prepare. So it'll be interesting to see I just don't see teams being successful that way. I haven't been around it. Do you think Roman Harper? This is the finest coaching job. Nick Saban has done in his illustrious career at Alabama.

I don't know about that. I mean, I think the the book is not written yet. It's not complete now if they go on to win it then probably so you could make possibly say that but I think it just it just looks so different than what you're used to seeing Alabama did not look good early in this season. This team has figured out who they are what works for them. And that's what I think that's what we should give Nick Nick Saban more credit on is that he's never just a stake in the ground.

You know, I mean, he's not like I'm just planting my flag here and this is who we are. This is what we're going to do doesn't matter what he's always like. Well, what works best for this team?

What works best for this player? How can I give this player add more value to him and his life on and off the field all the time and so because he's never just a flag in the sand type guy. I think they're always evolving. They went from a run first team to Elaine Kiffin hurry up offense for spread the ball all around throw it around the ballpark to then go back to Derek Henry told him the rock type offense to them Bryce Young and Mac Jones throwing it all over the place to now more of a run first throwing the ball some being more explosive and leaning on the defensive type team as well. So when you can win in multiple facets that really shows how great of a coach you are because not so much that you're so much smarter than everybody but it's more like I it's not about me and ego and that is not about just me and how we're going to do things but just more about what's best for my team and let's go do that. Yeah, I don't know if you will agree with this or not. But when he bench Milro and I said this at the time when he went back to him the next week when he bench Milro. I thought that was the first time going into that USF game that he actually heard like the outside criticism.

I don't think he actually wanted to bench Milro when he did it, but he felt as if he had to and that's why he went back to him so quickly shortly after that. Was that not like a Jedi mind trick is that like a parent just treating the treatment, you know tricking their kid and to all right, you think you want this but this is what you really need. Okay, and so all right, I'll give you this needed and so that was the one really cool thing about that whole deal was that I was actually a little nervous about it too because I Yeah, we're having trouble here in Roman.

Obviously, he's driving around. So I think we just lost him for a second. I think we got him back though Roman.

Can you hear me? All right. Alrighty, so I don't think we're able to reconnect with Roman Harper if we get him back up. That'd be great. I just want to ask him one more question about Texas and Washington, but for not good to go then that is all right good conversation with Roman Harper right there who was joining us on CBS Sports Radio from the SEC Network as he gets set for Michigan and Alabama. And we also have Texas and Washington as well. We're just going to try to reconnect him.

I still think he's actually up on the screen, but we're just having trouble hearing him. So Roman Harper's back. All right, let's wrap it up this way, Texas, Washington. What do you love about this matchup? I think it's a high-scoring affair. I think Washington pulls this game out late, but it wouldn't surprise me either way. I think it's like a 34-31 game, but I'm going Washington.

Man, I'm kind of with you. I'm going Washington as well. I think I haven't decided completely but you know, Zach. I'm sorry. I went to a Valley right there bro over here.

I'm about to go off with my cousin. So yeah, and so what really happened was that so I I like this Washington, Texas matchup because I don't know. So everybody's been telling us that Texas is the better team and when you look at a roster per person, like maybe Texas is better like Texas is back in that way. But when you look at where Texas is strong at that D line like is their D line really going to be that much of advantage in this game.

If it is not the biggest advantage that we think it's going to be or anticipated being then Washington is going to win this game. And the thing that kind of takes away the advantage of Texas is they're so big and physical in the middle, but Washington doesn't run the ball in the middle. They pick the ball up. They throw it out fast to the wide receivers.

They do a lot of screens. They get the ball out wide and when they run the football they do a lot of pin and pull runs which is they bring a tight end in they block down on the end. They pull a guard or a tackle they get to the edges. So they're not really running downhill. They're always getting to the edges.

So this team attacks you horizontally way more than they do vertically and then out off of that. They got some passes downfield that man. This guy Michael pennies can straight-up throw it. I hate his throwing technique, but everybody's going to love on him just a little bit more naturally because he's a lefty. Everybody loves the left-handed quarterback. They just look different.

They feel pretty. It's just a whole deal, but he's inaccurate at times, but these receivers of Washington are a problem and Texas secondary is not the best as well. I hate the coverages that they play a lot of times just because as a safety whenever you don't touch a slot receiver and I look up and 12 yards down the field. It's always man-to-man coverage.

I don't like that. So that's what Texas finds himself doing a lot of and that's going to Washington is going to try and take advantage of that also doing a little bit of go-back film last year. A lot of these same players played in this game last year in this game the Alamo Bowl. And Texas did not affect Michael Pennix like they wanted to Washington affected Quinn Ewers a lot more last year than Texas affected Michael Pennix and because of that.

I think a lot of these simulators will rise and I think I'm leaning towards Washington and upsetting this. Alrighty Roman Harper. Enjoy the travel. We appreciate the time as always.

Thanks so much for doing this and Happy New Year to you and your family. Yeah, man. Happy New Year's man. Thanks.

Zach is always having me man. Appreciate man. You know, I'll be listening. You got it.

Thanks so much. There he is Roman Harper the great Roman Harper joining us on CBS Sports Radio. Alrighty, we'll take a break.

We'll come on back. We'll update some of the biggest stories in the world of sports with some audio with the news brief. But first up I was just about to toss it to an update but that's not the case right now because we're not at 4 30 yet. I don't know for some reason I did this on the 6 to 10 show whenever I'm about to go to the news brief and tease the news brief.

I always am about to toss it to an update. So maybe I have some of the announcer yips right there. But anyway, we'll come on back in five minutes. I killed show CBS Sports Radio. Okay, what's the number one reason you should try instacart shopping over 1.5 million unique products from over 1,000 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. Time for your daily news brief we get you caught up on the rumors reports and reconnaissance from the day in sports. You can stream the NFL and what's the one for free sponsored by AutoZone all season long. You listen to every what's the one broadcast the NFL live in the NFL app by asking Alexa to open what's the one sports on the Odyssey app get in the zone AutoZone AutoZone's free battery testing and charging is available for free at your local AutoZone get in the zone AutoZone restrictions apply.

All righty. Let's start off with Jamar Chase. This was the audio we were talking about yesterday.

Let's hear it in its entirety. This is Jamar Chase when he was asked what's so special about the Chiefs secondary if I'm being honest nothing. They just know how to play us. They know the leverages and know which place we in. They just know what we gonna do certain movements. They throw a little double doubles at us to stop the two best players on our side and that's all they do.

I mean, it's not really like they got a Jill and Ramsey on these squad. So I'm not saying so not much. So when you go back to the question of that, this has been thrown out on social media where it's and I said this yesterday in the moment. I said I had to hear the question because you see the quote and it's like, oh man, that's really disrespectful to the entire defense like nothing special about the Chiefs defense look at their defensive line. Chris Jones is one of the best players not only on the defense side of the ball, but in football period and the question was what's so special about the Chiefs secondary that was the question they do anything special and I seen a lot of people have put the quote out there as if the question was oh Jamar Chase says there's nothing special about the Chiefs defense and I think that's a big difference and a big distinction between the two because like if you look at the Chiefs secondary, you know, Lagerius needs the one player that really stands out to me, but I don't think there's anything special about the Chiefs secondary and if you said the entire defense, I think that would be an absurd answer, but I'm actually going to defend Jamar Chase a little bit because if you go back and listen to the question once again, it wasn't about the entirety of the defense. It was about what makes the secondary special but they do anything special some along those lines with the Kansas City Chiefs. Now, here's Jamar Chase and when he was asked if he enjoys trash-talking the Kansas City Chiefs because this is not the first time you enjoy that back and forth.

I mean, it seems to happen every single game. Well, yeah, they talked the most that's why yeah, I love it. But you guys enjoyed there's no hate or is there some hate between both of them?

No comment comment. I don't know Santa you're a Chiefs fan. So you're definitely bias a fugazi cheese fan. I wish you guys could see the look that Manny just gave Santa when I said Santa your Chiefs fan many blood said you are well, what the heck is going on because everyone knows Santa's actually a jet fan, but he's become this fugazi Chiefs fan because he's sick and tired of watching the JTS Jets Jets Jets.

So maybe you're somewhat biased here. I actually think the Bengals do more trash-talking than Kansas City like it wasn't the Kansas City Chiefs who trash-talked before that AFC title game. It started when Mike Hilton was on the sideline in Buffalo after smothering the bills where he was like, we're going to Burrowhead. I'm not saying the Chiefs don't talk smack, you know, Willie Gay talk smack, but I would say the Bengals talk more trash than the Kansas City Chiefs after it seems like in the locker room.

They do although you never know what Travis Kelsey is going to say on the new heights podcast, but maybe on the field maybe it's going to be more like on the field kind of stuff. I don't know for sure but I know the Chiefs do talk a lot of smack on the field as I'm sure a lot of teams do so maybe it's more the on-field trash-talking and let's just call it what it is. These are two teams that have been two of the better teams in the NFL not this year, but the two previous seasons and they have met up at an AFC Championship game one went the Bengals way one went the Kansas City Chiefs way, but really the Bengals have been that lone team that have been the kryptonite to Kansas City and a lot of teams. I'm not saying this year, but the last few years they fear Kansas City the Bengals don't fear Kansas City and let me just remind everyone there's no Joe burrow in this game.

He's done for the season. It's Jake Browning burrow head my ass. All right, maybe they do talk some trash but that was after the game too with Travis Kelsey. So if the Bengals win this one, I think it just shows you where the how the Chiefs are just not that good this year because could you Jake Browning going into burrow head arrowhead this weekend like I have a tough time seeing the Bengals win, but then yet again, it's not like I have any trust in Kansas City right now their offense stinks right now, but you would think that my homes would be able to outscore Jake Browning.

All righty. Let's play one more from Jamar chase. What if the Chiefs uses his comments to some bulletin board material body language is every day is so much that I can do myself. It's not like I'm Iron Man.

I can't throw the football to myself. You know, I'm saying like it's a team sport. I know what I see on paper. I know I see in game. That's why they double everybody because they can't do it one-on-one.

I'm not bugged about it. They know I'm good. They know how to play us. That's what it is.

But it's not like they got a superstar on a defense. All righty. I don't think that was what we were supposed to toss to but we'll keep it moving here was the right clip, but it seemed like many computer froze.

Oh technical difficulties on that one. Okay, but that was the correct clip. Okay, let's go to Dante Hall and good morning football his message to the Kansas City Chiefs body language is everything when you are screaming and yelling at your players that permeates negative what you have had in the first five years that poker face. We know we're going to win this in the end that permeates positively get back to being positive. It's like my little kids running around here on Christmas Day. We've got your Christmas tree full of presents and you acting like spoiled little breath.

This is not a good look. I'm watching a game with my kids and you're acting like that. Come on guys be better and I think the team would be better. So I think he's sort of right, but then there's part of me that says and I don't always agree like sometimes you need your leader and the best player in football and Patrick Mahomes to lose his mind. But I thought the spot he did it in this year and the way that he did it was telling that he doesn't really have confidence in this group and then that becomes a problem because then people question themselves even in the locker room and oh are we all on the same page like the spot he lost his mind was when Kadarius Tony lined up offside and it cost them the Buffalo Bills game after the craziness of the Travis Kelcey lateral to Tony which was a touchdown then was taken off the board him losing his mind wasn't really being irate at the officials.

The officials got the call, right? It was egregious how far offside Kadarius Tony was but him freaking out was more so him knowing man. We got a lot of problems and then they continued it for a day bitching and complaining about the rest when the rest were actually in the right and I think you have some guys with some big egos in that locker room like Kadarius Tony has a big ego, but he stinks on the field like he is horrible. He's cost the Chiefs two games this year first game of the season and then the Buffalo Bills game. So I'm not saying Mahomes is a bad leader because I think the guy is a good leader, but his freakout was so clearly obvious about him.

Basically, even though he didn't say this knowing that they don't have the horses this year. And I think that just sends a vibe in the locker room where guys aren't stupid and they kind of picked up on that as well. And if your receivers can't catch the ball, I don't care how good your quarterback is how great your quarterback is.

He could only throw it so many times if the same result over and over again is drop, drop, drop, drop, drop. You're not going to win many games in this league and I think Kansas City has a lot and I mean a lot of flaws and they're going to be quickly in and then out of the postseason. Let's listen up to Robert Salah last night. I guess some reporter wasn't thrilled with the way that Robert Salah was conducting himself at the podium and wanted to see a little bit more anger from the coach of the New York Jets. It's weird because everyone says Robert Salah is a likable guy and I don't have a relationship with him. So maybe he is a likable guy when everyone says you're a likable guy, but sometimes the likable guy doesn't make for the best head coach and I think the players walk too much over Robert Salah and not only that. Man, how many times you could have too many men on the field and how many times is your team going to jump off side and make a crucial penalty?

Like don't get me wrong. Their season was over four plays into the season with Aaron Rodgers went down, but the mental mistakes and the penalties doesn't matter who your quarterback is. It's not a good reflection on the coach and it's a team that is poorly disciplined and Salah is now I guess he could be immune to this because he says the same things each and every week and it's got to be demoralizing when you had to go through this entire season with all the optimism and then it goes right out the window four plays into the season and he knows the team's eliminated. He knows the team's almost done, but I still think it's important how you talk at the podium. I'm not saying he has to flip a table and go nuts and go crazy on us, but I just don't think he's the right guy to be the coach of the Jets, but ultimately Aaron Rodgers likes him. So he'll be back next year and Woody Johnson even already said that.

Alrighty, let's get to two more. Here is Jalen Milro not happy with the former Alabama offensive coordinator in Bill O'Brien who once told Jalen Milro, maybe he should change positions. Here is Jalen Milro. All my life, even when I was in college, my own offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien told me I shouldn't play quarterback. There's a lot of things I can have motivation on and that is something I have motivation from. How would you feel if I told you you suck? Okay, then. So that's exactly how I felt.

You know what I'm saying? So like biggest thing for me be true to myself and you know, be the state of saying, you know, nothing changed about me. Only thing that changed me about was I had the opportunity and I seized it. Is there a position he wanted you to play or said you should be in this position or that position or he just told me a bunch of minutes that I could have switched to but look where I'm at right now.

So I'm saying so who gets the last laugh? It's kind of refreshing to actually hear an Alabama player be honest. Remember a few years ago before they were going up against Oklahoma and one of the college football playoff games, Quinnen Williams is about to trash Kyler Murray and say like, oh, I don't think he's as good as a quarterback is what people make him out to be and right as he was about to start to say that he just froze up and he was like smiled and Quinnen Williams fashion was like never mind. I'm good cuz Saban has an antenna in all these guys heads. I'm convinced and anytime they're about to say something controversial you have like this alarm go off. This is Nick Saban. Stop saying what you're about to say. Remember we are Alabama.

We give nothing to those evil pigs in the media. I'm convinced that's what happens. It's like the SpongeBob SquarePants scene when he goes to the driving school and Squidward is basically in an antenna in SpongeBob's hat and he's telling them which way to turn. That's why I envisioned Nick Saban has this chip in all of in all of the Alabama players heads convinced by that. Let's go to Isaiah Bond last one will play. So Isaiah Bond was the guy that made the catch that was thrown from Jalen Milro on that fourth and goal for Alabama up against Auburn. It was a 32-33 yard touchdown, whatever it was. Isaiah Bond said that Alabama can't watch film on their own personal tablets because of Michigan.

Listen up. It's basically like the app will record like film off for practice and stuff like that and it was like I guess like looking at other people's like play calls like their hands and those like the first eight games or something like that. So we wasn't able to like it was able to watch film with the team. But like personally we can't watch film because like I don't know some reason with Michigan stealing signs, but I'm not really too keen on that. Your coaches told me that.

Yeah, our coaches told us that probably like a week ago before we was like right before we about to come here like getting prepared for Michigan. It's like on your individual tablets that you would normally be watching. Yeah, right now you guys are not watching. Yeah, we're not allowed to. I don't know. I call cap on that as the kids would say.

Seriously. There was a sign stealing scandal. Connor Stallions now was able to hack into your tablets too. And then Roman Wilson of Michigan revealed today that their football team has only been able to watch film and group sessions as well.

This is the paranoia when you have a minor sign stealing scandal and it gets turned into a bigger deal. Then all these coaches are all paranoid to begin with. They're like we can't watch film on our own or our own players personal tablets because Stallions even though he's off the team.

He's probably still getting paid by hardball and he's going to hack in to our tablet come. You know what Michigan's winning the game Michigan 23, Alabama 20 because Alabama they seem scared. They're paranoid. Oh, I can't watch my film on my own personal tablet because the boogeyman who Jim Harbaugh and Connor Stallions.

They're watching who give me a break. That's a joke. All right. That's a news brief. This is that Gelb show on CBS Sports radio who should win comeback player of the year.

We'll get to that next update time. First here is Dexter Henry. Let's take a look at who's got home field advantage this weekend or NCAA football preview sponsored by Fairfield by Marriott Fairfield by Marriott is the official Hotel partner the NCAA with over 1,000 locations around the country. You always have the home field advantage visit Fairfield dot Marriott dot-com to book your stay while it's not your typical home field advantage Michigan takes on Alabama in the Rose Bowl this weekend and the Wolverines have played in the Rose Bowl 20 previous times the second most in history behind on the USC going 8 and 12 in those games.

So I don't know that's a little I like how you stretch that one there Sam. I mean it's ballgame season how you supposed to find a home field advantage. So I got to find something right there old Big Ten Pac-12, you know Rose Bowl. That was like the legend but objectively here like I'm reading this and I go Santa's about to give me a pro Michigan stat here and it's like oh they have the home field advantage. They've been the team that's played in the Rose Bowl the most outside of USC and then it's like oh, yeah, but they elected to go 8 and 12 in those games like that doesn't make me feel good about this one. Is that a home field advantage but you know it though because they know that feels so well, they've been there so often that it's kind of like a home field event because you know, you know Big Ten versus Pac-12. They're always going up against the West Coast team. But now Michigan's going up against Alabama Michigan knows that field Michigan knows that area Michigan knows that stadium. So I just want to look up something real quick. Maybe no definitely not like I think Michigan's going to win the game.

It has nothing to do that. Oh the Rose Bowl may be their second home, but I just want to see one thing the last time Michigan was in the Rose Bowl. So I'm just going to do a quick search here. It was a little while ago. They lost like their last three times. Yeah, so I'm trying to okay. The first one I see is 2007 where they lost 32 to 18 to USC the other team that you use for that stat.

I'm just going to do a quick look make sure that we're right on that. Yeah, we are in 2008. How old does Blake Corum? How old was Donovan Edwards? These guys don't know the Rose Bowl, but I did find it funny that you saw Nick Saban with Mickey Mouse this week out in the out in the Rose Bowl. Yeah, Jim Harbaugh and Nick Saban two coaches who I don't necessarily think look cool with Mickey Mouse. They were both very much very much out of place and don't forget back in 1986 when Jim Harbaugh led Michigan against number seven Arizona State and lost to my Sun Devils.

Let's go Sun Devils. Yeah in the Rose Bowl. So Jim Harbaugh what just because he sniffed the turf of the Rose Bowl. He now he has an advantage who knows maybe a Jim Harbaugh is putting the old school tape of all the old practices of Michigan into the Alabama tablets and the Alabama programs look in that old film and think that's what's going to happen to Michigan coming up on the first day of 2024 that I don't know about you that tablet story is Emmett Smith would say it makes me hot. It makes me mad like you have this guy Isaiah Bond just throw out that all we can't watch film because Michigan had access to our tap like what it makes no sense whatsoever. Now, do you think that Alabama being thrown off a little bit from the normal routine and we know that football players routine is very trouble.

Does it throw? I'm not saying in trouble 8 5 5 2 1 2 4 CBS, but does it throw them off just a little bit that these guys aren't able to do their normal routine prepping for this game? No, because it'd be one thing if the other team wasn't doing it, but Michigan was also saying that this week they have only watched film together as a team as well. And also I know the preparation doesn't happen for the entirety of the month that they've had off but there's been too much time to prepare. So even if you had to alter the way that you prepare for a game, you're going to have it figured out when you have a month to get ready for a game. Like if you're not ready for the game, that's embarrassing especially when you have two powerhouse programs two great programs and I think I know Roman Harper, you know an Alabama honk.

All right. I love my guy Roman Harper, but he's an Alabama honk and he's going to basically say that Michigan's going to get the crap beat out of it. Maybe he's right who knows when it be the first time I'm wrong, but you know, I like to think I'm going to be right on this one. I think this is going to be a classic just slugfest. I really do and I think you'll see a lot of running here with Milro, you know, Michigan loves to run the football with Coram and Donovan Edwards and the mobility of JJ McCarthy extending plays even if he's not running the ball down the field, but just extending plays. I think they're going to have to use the legs a lot of JJ McCarthy.

So I'm going Michigan in this one 23 to 20, but it's not because poor Alabama hasn't been able to watch film on their personal tablets. Alrighty, we had this conversation about a month ago. I think Sam there maybe like a month month and a half ago where we asked is the Mar Hamlin have to win Comeback Player of the Year and when we were going through the definition of Comeback Player of the Year.

I think a lot of people believe it's okay. You had something horrible happen to you injury obviously what happened to the Mar Hamlin is an anomaly, but you have a something that goes really wrong to you and you miss football and then you come back and you play great or you play well, but that's not always what is the true definition of Comeback Player of the Year. It's a very vague ambiguous definition and I remember when Alex Smith was up for it. I forget who the player was, but I was one of the lone people on the radio to say what Alex Smith went through.

I don't wish on my worst enemy and it's remarkable that he's on the field but there are better players that also went through something that are having by far and away better seasons than Alex Smith. I do ultimately believe that the Mar Hamlin because of the vagueness of the award and also the fact that the guy almost nearly died on a football field and he somehow it's miraculous. Like I love the Mar Hamlin the fact that he's able to walk the fact that he is alive the fact that he's able to play in some games this year from being on the air while it happened that night live on the air.

No one said it, but we were all thinking about it everyone when we were watching that game and it was like we had an hour left in the show and we had to talk to Mar Hamlin, but there was no updates. Everyone thought the guy died and the fact that he is alive let alone was able to play a little bit this year is crazy. It's one of the greatest turnarounds that you'll ever see but just because that happened I also think in my opinion you got to play on the field at a high level, but I don't think that's the way most voters are going to look at it because of how vague the definition of the award is like Tua even though he went through horrible things. It's not what the Mar Hamlin went through but Tua has played a lot better football than DeMar Hamlin. Joe Flacco a lot better football than DeMar Hamlin. You could even make the case maybe Baker Mayfield as well. Now, he didn't get injured last year, but that's also the vagueness of the war that you don't have to get injured. He was just bad last year in Baker Mayfield. So because of the fact that DeMar Hamlin nearly died and how it's not necessarily tied to performance on the field.

It's just persevering and overcoming adversity. I do think DeMar Hamlin ends up winning the award now a month a month and a half ago. I said, I think he will win the award and he should win the award.

Now. I will say that he will win the award. But if I was voting and I don't have a vote I would probably consider voting for either Tua or for for for Joe Flacco. Do you think that he's going to get the award? Just like guilt votes that people will vote for him not because they think that he deserves it, but they're afraid. Well, what if I don't like how like he should get it just because what happened but like whatever so I want to be clear here when we talk about this.

Like what he what he overcame. We've never seen anything like it and there's really no criteria for this award other than you have to overcome some some horrible adversity or you know bad play injury something like that. My problem is more so it's not what DeMar Hamlin like if he wins the award. I don't think anyone's going to actually have like a legitimate gripe over this. But it's just more so the definition is just so weird where I think there should be something in the definition about play on the field. And ultimately you're probably right. He is going to win the award but like if I voted for DeMar wouldn't be because I felt like I was forced to vote for DeMar Hamlin or I wouldn't use the word guilty like I personally don't see it that way. I just don't understand the side of the argument you want to clarify it up real quickly. No, I'm not saying that I would do that either but I just wonder if voters would say, you know, maybe I think Tua is more deserving but like I can't not vote for DeMar Hamlin.

Okay, like it would be a bad look for me. It was such a dramatic experience that we all saw. Yeah, like I understand if people think that way. The only thing I will say is I think like it's remarkable. It's the greatest story that you'll see that he was able to step foot in the field this year, but he really do anything on the field now just him getting on the field is something that is greater than any of us could have imagined and it's a accomplishment that may make it all superior than all the other things but I look at this as the way that you're playing on the field and Tua has been playing great this year.

Joe Flacco for this last month has been playing great this year and my only thing is I wish there would be a clearer definition on how much the on-field success does matter because if it doesn't matter and it's just you get on the field then yeah, obviously DeMar Hamlin should win the award. All right, we'll take a break. Zach helped show CBS Sports Radio.

We'll get into a little Texas and Washington next as we preview the other semi-final game coming up on New Year's Day. When the whole family comes together to watch the game. Nobody wants to miss a second of the action to run to the grocery store with instacart. You can get all your weekly groceries in as fast as an hour less time shopping means more game time. Let's go 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.