Barrett Sallee, CBS Sports College Football Reporter

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Download the Odyssey app today. I'm just saying, like, it's very easy not to lose a 10 and a half game lead in the division. But, you know, families of Mets find that more challenging than other teams.

And let me just ask you this. If it was, and I'm not making excuses, my team, they had no pulse, no heart, no fight up against your team in Atlanta and you guys deserve to win the division. But you're telling me if this game that you were complaining about tonight, which really means nothing, was in Atlanta and it was 50 degrees and it was raining and it was cold, that Barrett Salih would be there? I have season tickets, so yes. I would love to see my team clench. Look, the Braves have sold out more than half their games this year, whether it be summer, winter, spring, whatever. People show up.

We all show up. So if there was a chance for the Braves to clench today, it would be sold out. Yeah, but there's no chance for the Mets to clench. But there's no chance for the Mets to clench. They have to win out. Say that again? They have to win out. The fans should be there to support their team. Look, I'm just saying, maybe we're a better school of sound than y'all.

Oh, come on, Atlanta! You don't even believe that. You just probably had to mute your phone. You don't actually believe that. You're laughing in the background.

I know that. Second-best attendance in the National League last year, despite the fact they won't have brought 500 until August. We actually show up when games matter.

I mean, I don't know. What about when the games don't matter? Do the Braves fans show up?

Oh, absolutely, because there's a lot of good things to do with the batteries around the stadium. I show up when there's no game sometimes. Barrett Salih here with us. We will still talk to him because we like his college football takes, even though I've been very, very, very, very salty and annoyed with him on social media. And you just have the perfect time tweets, too.

It's almost as if, you know, the moment I'm on Twitter, you're like, OK, that's when I've got to send the Mets tweet out because Zach's on Twitter following me. What if I do know? Well, then I'll be a little bit concerned, honestly. I'm falling under a string order against you, maybe.

All right. So when a coach gets fired, the Neymar interim coach, a lot of people go, the A, it's his job to lose. But for Jim Leonard, who's had opportunities before and he knows the school better than anyone, is this actually his job to lose at Wisconsin?

Yeah, I think so. And I think that's why they made the move. I don't think there's any any secret that maybe Paul Chris and the new administration at Wisconsin were kind of at odds. But I think when it became apparent that things were not going to be reconciled and I wouldn't even say this season was lost. Just the fact that it had not started out the way it had gone. They felt like it was probably going to be inevitability anyway.

The office left. So might as well let Jim Leonard audition because I think you're going to get offers. I mean, there is no doubt what if he coached out that season as a coordinator at Wisconsin, he would still get power five offers, multiple power five offers. So why not let him see what he could do at his own at Wisconsin? Since he's been there, he knows the players, all that other stuff.

So if there's 100 percent, this is an audition. I think that it's it's going to be really hard for them not to keep him because I do think they're a pretty good team. And I think that knowing his relationships that he has there in a variety of different ways, unless he completely tanks over the course of the next month and a half.

Then I would be shocked if not. Not that he doesn't get that job full time. Is there a name or two that you would say, OK, maybe they would go elsewhere instead of Jim Leonard, even though we're in the infant stage stages on this? I would say that one to keep an eye on is they've arrived at Baylor. And I say this because, A, he has been there before as a coordinator and be financially the big 12. And the future is not going to be anywhere close to what the big 10 now.

But if you're in Wisconsin knowing how much money you're going to get during the new TV contract, you know, you can potentially overpay by today's market value because you're going to be able to afford it in a couple of years. So I think that's the one to keep an eye out. And that's true, really, of all the big 12 coaches. You know, Matt Campbell might be another name they look at for that exact reason. Lance Leipold, obviously in the same sort of thing. So, yeah, I think if it was stopping, it's not saying, Leonard, I would look at all of the good to decent big 12 coaches right now, because that's the that's the conference that has good staff, but also is at the worst spot financially compared to the big 10.

Barrett Salih here with us. Do you have a name or two that that you're intrigued by for potentially Nebraska? Oh, man, I think for Nebraska, I don't know if they're willing to go Troy Calhoun. They should be willing to go Troy Calhoun because he's new. He runs the New Age version of what Nebraska was successful with back in the day. You know, the airport is not a triple option team.

It is a spread you out, you know, multiple speed options, which is essentially the New Age triple option. So if you can incorporate that into what Nebraska already has the tradition, it has the ability to go get those offensive linemen that are willing to play in those kind of systems. I think it can be successful, but Nebraska is not going to be a signal chair about Nebraska. You know, like, we're old guys, right? We remember Nebraska.

These kids playing now, these high schoolers, they don't even remember Nebraska as a big 12 team, much less the power, right? So you have to be different. You're not going to win these recruiting battles. You're not going to go, you know, be a superpower.

You have to be unique. And that's why I think a guy like Troy Calhoun would be a good, good spot for them. Barrett Salih here with us. I don't know if this is a curve ball because he said that last year was the last time he was going to flirt with the NFL, but I really don't believe him. Can we see Michigan open this off season? I think that was it. I think last year was it, right? I think that was, that was Jim Harlow trying to strike all the iron thoughts, right? He just went to the playoffs.

He's obviously got a little bit of a name brand recognition at the NFL level. I think it was a test to see, okay, how, how desired am I really at this level? And I think he found out that he was not that desired. I mean, certainly, you know, could have had discussions, whatever, but I think that was it.

I think that that was sort of the pivot point. You go back to the NFL, pretty sick around Michigan. And I don't think he liked what he heard from the NFL. So he just sent me to the playoffs.

You know what gives him some credibility there. So make me there. So why not stick around? So, you know, I don't, I used to be all aboard Michigan or a hardball leaving Michigan for the NFL.

But after all that went down last year, I think that was sort of, sort of the trying to figure out exactly which way it was going to go with this future. And I think he actually made a wise decision because obviously Michigan playing pretty good football right now. What is it going to take for Jimbo Fisher to be out after this year at A&M? Because I feel like it's inevitable he'll be back next year.

The seat will just be like on fire. Five more years until the buyout drops and they can afford to pay him. Yeah, he can't be fired.

They expected more. If I was not on board with a Jimbo hire to begin with, I was sort of of the belief that he was a pretty good coach who had a great roster. He recruited that roster at State and had a generation quarterback. He's too stubborn. His offense is too complicated. His players can't run it and he's not willing to change it. So I'm with you.

I think that, you know, next year is going to be going to be interesting, right? What would be what? You're five. So he would be owed what? I don't know, 32 million. I'm not good at math. That was all. But that's still a huge change. So I think it would be it would be multiple years of of what you're seeing now before they get rid of them.

And I guess that happened. I think this is exactly what Texas A&M is. They're an eight, four, nine and three tight team at best every year.

But it's going to take a couple more years for them to get rid of them. Barrett Salih from CBS Sports, wrapping up with him on the Zach Gelb show on CBS Sports Radio. Two part question here. One, will Urban Meyer be back at a sideline next year? And two, will Deion Sanders be at a power five job next season? With Urban, I think it comes down to this. Are you willing to sell your soul for wins and championships? Because you can do that. Like you'll get to some wins, you'll get to championships.

But he's going to leave your program in a smoldering ash pile when he leaves. Right. So is Auburn going to do that? Maybe.

No, maybe they are. But I think it would take that kind of a leap for Urban. As for Deion, yeah, I think he will. I know that he's set out on a mission at Jackson State to revitalize HBCUs and all that stuff.

And that's awesome. But I also think that he wants to be a head coach at a major level. He wanted Arkansas bad. He wanted Florida State bad. I think he was probably waiting for Florida State to tank this year.

It's not happened, obviously. But yes, I think you see him at a power five job. And look, I'm in Atlanta. If he goes to Georgia Tech, it would be incredible for all parties. It ties to Atlanta, being in the college football capital in the world, having access to all these players.

I mean, it would be the NIL opportunities, the transfer portal opportunities. It would be awesome. And I think ultimately, he Georgia Tech will I think will ask him. I think it's two things with him. One, do you want to take that challenge into you want to curse against your rival?

I'm sorry, you're all modest. I don't know if he's wanting to do either one of those things. Wrap it up with Barrett Salih.

Just a few quick cutters before we let you run. What do you think the chances are that Bryce Young plays this weekend? Has there been any intel there or has it just been, hey, Saban's not telling anyone until kickoff? Saban's not telling anyone. I would say he probably isn't for two reasons.

One, yeah, it's not something you want to mess around with. And two, I don't think Nick feels threatened by A&M at all. If I had to guess, it would be Jalen Miller. How much of a believer are you in potentially Oklahoma State making the college football playoff this year? Ooh, now that they beat Baylor. The problem is the big 12 man, it's just there are nine teams that can win that conference.

You know, it's like, you got to avoid those landmines. Spencer Sanders has been awesome. And my buddy was right. He does not get enough credit. Spencer Sanders does not get enough credit. So, you know, they were literally an instant away from it last year. I think it happened this year. We'd have to swing in their favor. The landscape would have to swing in their favor, but it could happen for sure. And then finally, in the Pac-12, which has now been a really good conference this year, do you take USC or the field to win the Pac-12 this year? USC, 100%. Their defense is horrific, but they force turnovers. You're going to give up 500 yards, you're going to get four turnovers, you're going to be fine. So winning the Pac-12, the way that team has come together, the way that offense clicks, I would say, yeah, USC over the field. Although, man, I'm interested to see what happens with UCLA and Utah this week.

That might change my decision depending on which way that one goes. He's Barrett Salih. Barrett, I would say good luck to your baseball team, but I wouldn't mean it. So just keep putting out good content on the college football side and I'll keep on following you. Thank you.

I appreciate it. I don't think we need luck. We just need skill. I would love to see you guys get sweeped in the NLDS. That would be great.

There's Barrett Salih joining us on the Zach Gelb show on CBS Sports Radio. Wherever you are, whenever you want. And did we mention it's all free? Download the Odyssey app today.