Ride Home Rants
Ride Home Rants
Miami vs Indiana: Who Takes The Crown?
Two programs, two roads to the same stage. Miami arrives on a heater, leaning into pressure, speed, and opportunistic plays. Indiana shows up like a metronome—disciplined run game, cleaner defense, and a quarterback who knows when to be Clark Kent and when to flash the cape. We put their strengths under the brightest light: can Miami force a shootout, or does Indiana’s structure suffocate the tempo and win the margins?
We unpack Fernando Mendoza’s profile with real comps—think Matt Ryan’s command, Jimmy Garoppolo’s rhythm, a touch of Brock Purdy’s moxie. The takeaway isn’t hype; it’s fit. Right system, right timeline, real staying power. Wrong situation, and early draft status becomes an anchor. From there, we shift to the sidelines, comparing staff cohesion and identity. Indiana’s continuity shows in the small things—receivers finishing blocks at 40–0, a defense that communicates through motion. Miami’s staff counters with disruptive ideas and personnel that can flip a quarter in three snaps.
Zooming out, we get honest about the 12-team playoff, why byes have been a trap, and how a 16-team field could level games and calendars. We also call out the quiet advantages of staying home for a title—less travel, familiar climate—without overplaying the crowd factor in a city that often arrives late. Finally, we test a big question: can Indiana sustain this rise in an NIL and transfer era? Culture still compounds, but it now has to coexist with aggressive roster building and big-money suitors.
You’ll leave with clear score predictions, the matchup levers that matter, and early picks for next year’s contenders. If you enjoy smart football talk without fluff, hit follow, share this with a fan who loves game theory as much as highlights, and drop your score pick in the
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Welcome everybody to another episode of the Ride Home Rants podcast. This is, as always, your host, Mike Bono. I have a great episode for us. It's becoming an annual episode for us, and that is our CFB national title game show with the college playoff winding down. We are at the national championship game with Indiana and Miami facing off. I have a panel of guests here that we're going to break down the game and give our predictions on who we think is going to win this big game here in college football. And I'm going to let these guys introduce themselves here. And guys, I need uh your name, the answer to these two questions that it's what do you do for a job or a career? And in your opinion, what is the most overrated breakfast food? And Jose, we're going to start with you.
SPEAKER_01:Wonderful. Welcome everybody. My name is Jose Jefferson. I am the general manager at Florida International University for the football team. And I am also the executive director and owner operator for Lead College Grid Arms Showcase. And the most overrated breakfast food would have to be grapefruit.
SPEAKER_04:Oh, absolutely terrible for bread. Come on. Now who's eating grape food for breakfast? That's just wow. And next on the list, we got Bob.
SPEAKER_02:Bob Galileer. Um, I do high school football games for 1390 a.m. here in Youngstown. And I think uh hash browns is the overrated breakfast food.
SPEAKER_04:Oh, we might fight over that one there, uh, Bob, on that one. Hash browns uh overrated. All right, we'll we'll give you that one. Next on the list, we got Kurt.
SPEAKER_00:I am Kurt Barth. I'm a teacher and coach at Washington High School in central Illinois. Uh, I would go with cereal as my overrated breakfast food.
SPEAKER_04:I can get on board with cereal for that one. Absolutely. Uh, next we have Sean.
SPEAKER_05:How are you doing, guys? Uh, Sean Dodd, uh, seventh grade teacher, pet football coach at uh East Lake North High School, just outside of Cleveland. Um, and I agree, cereal would be uh my most overrated. Loved it as a kid, but it's uh there's no benefit to it besides all the fun sugar part of it.
SPEAKER_04:Oh, absolutely. Yeah, that's that's the that's the only good thing about cereal in the morning, and it's quick. That that'd be the only benefits for me. And last on the least, here we have Matt.
SPEAKER_03:All right, thanks for having me. Uh Matt Oldmore, uh teacher and head football coach at Leetonia High School in uh Northeast Ohio. And uh it's not really a mainstay food, but yogurt. I just don't do yogurt. It's not anytime you have breakfast with yogurt, I can't can't do it.
SPEAKER_04:For for breakfast, I would go overrated. I do like it as a snack every now and again, though. You know, it it you know it it helps out through the day, but yeah, for breakfast, no, not not at all for me. Uh everybody always knows me. Uh Mike Bonham, uh, your host here, uh comedian. I do have a day job at a uh rental car company too as well. Uh, will not say the name of it on here, uh, too as well. But uh the most overrated uh breakfast food, in my opinion. Um, I don't want to say cereal because that was that was a lot, but that was that was the big one for me here was cereal. Um but any type of fruit for breakfast. I'm sorry, I'm not I'm not a big fruit guy for breakfast. The the the breakfast meal for me is when I you know I want all that starchy, the syrups and everything like that with pancakes, waffles, anything like that. Yeah, fruit just it's just not gonna cut it for me. Uh, but we're not here to talk about breakfast. We are here to talk about the national championship game coming up here. Uh while we're recording it, it'll be this Monday. It will air on Monday, the day of the game here. But uh, we're gonna jump right into this, Jose. We're gonna start with you. Um, are you surprised the college football championship game is between Miami and uh Indiana? Uh, did not think these two teams were going to make it this far, my personal opinion. I thought they were going to phase out. Um, so uh are you surprised by that? And who else did you think was gonna be in this game?
SPEAKER_01:Um, I don't want to say surprised. I mean, I think right now with with NIL, parody is is abundant. Um, so no, I I I do think sometimes that time off hurts a lot of those teams in the first round. And and as we were talking off air, Miami got hot and they didn't play the ACC championship, so they had that time off and they had some time to prepare for the games. Indiana has just been consistent over the last two years. Uh, I think what they're 15-0 now last year, I think they lost one or two games last year. So it's not a shocker, but I I'm not if if any of those teams would have been in there, there's there's not any traditional powerhouses that are in in the what were in the final four as it was anyway. So not a show, not a surprise to me.
SPEAKER_04:I got you. Bob, what about you?
SPEAKER_02:Um, yeah, a little bit with uh my I'm a Miami fan myself, and I I was worried they weren't gonna get in. I could have sworn that they were gonna put Notre Dame in ahead of uh Miami. But uh I think I thought once they get in, I thought Miami could some to do some damage. Uh I felt that they you know they played well, just they played their competition. I think you could you could see like those two games that they lost. Uh, I think they just thought they were just gonna roll in and and that didn't happen. So I think they're getting hot and Indiana. I thought they were just a good team all year, so I wasn't surprised they were there. But um, I would have liked to see Notre Dame get in instead of some of the other like Tulane or Jack uh James Madison, see what they could have did.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah, those two surprised me uh getting in over Notre Dame, James Madison and Tulane. Um just wasn't very entertaining first round matchups with those two teams just getting absolutely obliterated uh in their their first playoff game. But um I mean Indiana's been been solid. I didn't think Miami was gonna make it uh past the second round. I thought they'd get past the first round. I didn't didn't think they were gonna get past the second round. So that one surprises me. Indiana's been consistent uh the past couple of years here. But uh, Matt, what about you?
SPEAKER_03:What are your thoughts? Well, it depends on uh when you were gonna ask this question. Uh, you know, if it would have been before I saw them play their first their first playoff games, I would have said, nah, they're not, neither of these teams are gonna make it, something's gonna happen. But uh, once we saw them both uh get on the field for 60 minutes in their first game, I I started thinking, yeah, you know what? These teams, uh like uh Coach Jose said, and Miami got hot, and Indiana's just been solid all year, and I saw them, there's no rust, and I said, yep, all right. I I did kind of expect those two teams to make it.
SPEAKER_05:Okay.
SPEAKER_03:Sean, what about you?
SPEAKER_05:Uh yeah, if you would ask me at the beginning of the season, I would not have predicted these two teams. Um, you know, I probably like most people, I would have thought Ohio State was pretty much a lock. Um, having watched them kind of watched the the playoffs and way everything unfolded. Um and now we're at today, uh to me, Indiana's clearly been the best team in college football. But um, and kind of like Coach said earlier, you know, with the way NIL is and the transfer portal and um not a complete surprise. Um, I think that's kind of why what it was designed for, in part to give some of these other schools the opportunities to compete and maybe break up some of those dynasties. But um so um with that in mind, not a complete surprise, but if you would ask me beginning of the year, I I would not have guessed these two teams now.
SPEAKER_04:Gotcha. Kurt, run us out on this one.
SPEAKER_00:Right. I I kind of agree. If you would ask me at the beginning of the year, I probably would have said Ohio State, and my heart would have said Georgia. Uh, but uh, you know, it is certainly as we got into the uh to the playoff, uh, you know, Indiana's shown all year they've been uh you know a top-notch team. And as Jose said earlier, Miami got hot, and they're certainly athletic and can cover a lot of cover a lot of areas as a team. So uh I'm not surprised that we're in this spot with the championship, and it should be should be a good one.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah, I think this is gonna be a good game. Um yeah, I did not, like I said, I did not think Miami. I think they got hot at the right time for this college football playoff, you know. Um I thought the week off uh and getting the bye with Indiana was gonna hurt them like it has every other team that has gotten the first round bye in the playoff um since we've gone to this 12th team. I think they're the first team that has made it past uh the bye week and having that week off. Um but you know, I mean it's gonna be an entertaining game, I think, um, in that aspect. Uh this next one, um, this one's just gonna be for Jose here. Um, you know, you are you know the current general manager of FIU football there. Um, and uh the former head coach of a um nope correction. We were supposed to have Hal Mummy on here. He wasn't able to join us, was gonna be for both of you um here, but you know, being well the former head coach as well, too. It just depends on what level it was it wasn't that I I don't believe you coached Tim Couch. So no, no reading quickly through this and trying to get through because I know you're on a time crunch here. Uh, but a lot of people are saying that uh Fernando Mendoza um is a generational talent at quarterback, uh, like a former Tim Couch um that at Florida and a Joe Burrow at LSU. Um my question is though, uh, what is Mendoza stealing in the NFL? Um is it like a Tim Tebow or is it more like a Joe Burrow?
SPEAKER_01:Honestly, I think he's more he's probably more like a Matt Ryan, quite honestly. Okay, he he's a great game manager. I mean, he's athletic enough. He's I like what he does with that system. He was in Cal before that, and he wasn't really a household name in Cal, but I think those those West Coast teams obviously they they catch it because they play so late, at least on East Coast Midwest. But coming into a system, it's no different than what Kirk Sagneti did with his JMU was always good. Um now they're in Indiana with an Indiana-sized line running that offense with a kid who understands the system. I I liken him to Jimmy Garoppolo type. That is a great system guy, even Brock Purdy type of guy. But I think he he's he's got a little moxie to him. I I I like how he carries himself on and off the field. I like how he controls the game, controls himself, and he's he's not gonna he's not gonna lose the game for him, which is I think is outstanding. And that's hard for some quarterbacks to understand. They they think they have to win the game all the time. And they don't, I mean, as we say here, you don't have to be Superman because sometimes Clark Kent's required. And he is definitely a Clark Kent type. And when they need a play, he turns a Superman and has done that for him for the last two years.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah, I mean, I like I like the kid. I, you know, I've I've started when Indiana started winning games and started being uh a little bit more relevant and kind of being that threat to the Ohio State Buckeyes, you know, everyone kind of started to pay attention a little bit, like, hey, this might be the team that that takes Ohio State and gives them a run for their money. Um, I I mean he's you don't hear a bad thing about him, but so you're saying, I mean, I think in the right system, like you were saying, if he gets in the right system, um, like uh like Brock Purdy just happened to catch fire, Mr. Irrelevant, you know, in the draft, and now look at him.
SPEAKER_01:He's he's give it to me. Give it to Kurt Signetti for getting what he wanted. Uh Mendoza was not the the highest pick quarterback in that trans reportable pool, but he got the guy he wanted because he fit that system. I think environment is everything. Environment is everything for quarterbacks, and and that environment at Indiana suits him really well.
SPEAKER_04:I gotcha. Yeah, I definitely like it. I'm interested to see what he does um when he goes to where he goes and what his NFL career is going to do. Because I I like him. He's he's a tough, gritty kid, too, as well. And you don't hear a bad thing about him.
SPEAKER_01:I hope he's not the first pick. It likes him go to a team that I he can actually contribute to outside as opposed to be the heavy, which I don't think he's that guy. And the team that's those teams that are picking in the top five aren't a quarterback away from winning a Super Bowl, and that's where he'll struggle. Yeah, I hope he goes to somebody good that he can sit on the bench for a year or two and then take over. Like a team like the Falcons would be ideal for him. I mean, I'm not that they need to get rid of Penix or anybody like that, but that's all they're missing is a quarterback.
SPEAKER_04:Gotcha. Yeah, absolutely. Um yeah, I don't I don't hate that. I I I fear the Heisman is gonna make him be the number one overall pick. And I just don't, I just I I I love it for him as a kid, you know, being the number one overall pick. Who doesn't want to be the first overall pick in the draft? But I think it will hurt his career going to the road.
SPEAKER_01:Don't want to go to the Raiders.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah, yeah. You don't want to you don't want to be a a Cleveland Brown or a Las Vegas Raider or anything like that. Sorry, Bob. I know I can't help it.
SPEAKER_01:You know, I know you no Cleveland has about eight quarterbacks on their roster already, so they don't need more.
SPEAKER_04:They don't need any more there in Cleveland. Uh but for everyone here knows that we'll stay with you on this one since we got you here. Uh, what is your prediction for this game and who wins?
SPEAKER_01:I think the odds makers have it right. I think it's gonna be a touchdown plus, maybe a 10-point game. I I do think Miami will will compete. I I it it's just something that just tells me you can only stay hot for so long. And now they have the break and in a little bit of time to understand that this is actually happening because beforehand you only got a week and you're preparing and you're going. I think their talent is good. However, I I just don't think their defense is going to be able to do much. I mean, obviously they they got the pass rush, and that's great, but I man for man, you in and I think somebody said it earlier the the talent of Miami, but consistency. Look what they did to Oregon. Nobody saw that coming at all. I didn't see that at all. That was incredible because they just dismantled this team that I thought for sure was gonna be a track meet, and it was over at halftime. And that I don't think that'll be like that with Miami. I I truly don't. However, I think Miami cannot afford to get into a shootout with them. That's my opinion.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah, I don't think anyone can afford to get into a shootout with Indiana this year. Indiana's tough. Uh Bob, what about you? Who's your prediction?
SPEAKER_02:Once again, I'm a Caesar fan, so I gotta go with my voice. Um, you know, uh, like I said, I didn't think they were gonna get into the playoffs, so I'm just happy they're there. But um, I'm gonna go root for them uh 31-21. Go Cades. Okay, yeah. I just realized you're wearing a Miami hoodie.
SPEAKER_04:I just realized you're wearing that.
SPEAKER_03:Uh, but Matt, what about you? What's your prediction? Ooh, I don't know. I'm hoping it's a good game. Uh the we're the last two weren't real close national champions on chips, I don't think. Uh, I'm just gonna call call out Miami by four. There we go. Miami by four.
SPEAKER_04:All right. Sean, what about you?
SPEAKER_05:Yeah, I'm uh I kind of the the old school philosophy. I think um, you know, Indiana has a little bit better defense. Um, you know, they they statistics don't always mean everything, strength of schedule, but um they grade out a little bit higher uh run defense, pass defense, overall defense. They don't turn the ball over, uh their run games a little bit better. Uh, you have a quarterback that can manage it. Um, and like Jose said earlier about uh you know staying hot and now running into that some time off, I think that's gonna maybe mess with Miami a little bit. So score-wise, uh I'll go Indiana 27-21 um with uh with the Hoosiers winning it.
SPEAKER_04:Okay. Kurt, what about you?
SPEAKER_00:Well, I think it's uh it's momentum versus consistency, right? So something's got to give. Um, I I think I'm gonna go with Indiana, uh, probably a 28-20 score, something like that. Uh, but I I think that if Indiana stays true to who they are and they don't make mistakes, they haven't made many all year. Uh, if if they can stay that route, uh they've got uh a lot of ways they can hit you. Uh they've got talented receiving core, they've got an outstanding running game with the lineup front. Uh and obviously Mendoza can make plays with his arm. Uh so if they can if they can stay true to who they are and not make mistakes, I think they'll they'll be just fine. And you know, Miami, if they can stay hot and and not make mistakes, I think they can stay in it and make it a game. And then you know, you never know what happens if it's tied at the end. You know, somebody that that pressure will mount on uh on a team and it uh it'll be you know one player or another that uh that makes a difference.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah, I think this game's gonna be a lot closer than anybody everybody thinks. I don't think it's gonna be a track meet um like everyone thinks. I don't think it's gonna be high scoring uh by any stretch of the main. I do have Indiana inking out uh 27-24 over Miami. Um I I think it's gonna come down to a field goal late in this game. I think it's it's gonna be that uh for me. I think Indiana just been they've been too consistent for me to vote uh to vote against them on that one. Um but this one I just uh I just want to ask uh Kurt and uh Sean uh quite ahead and make sure I know we lost Jose and Hal wasn't here. I want to make sure I still had everybody here on this one. I want to kind of ask you two this question. Uh, do you think uh Indiana can sustain this type of success long term? Meaning coming out of uh the woodwork and you know becoming a legit national powerhouse over uh the past two seasons with the transfer portal and getting the right guys in there. Um and do you think they can keep this up with the transfer and the traditional powers of like an Ohio State type of program each year? And Kurt, let's start with you.
SPEAKER_00:You know, I I I think that's the question that that everybody's asking about them is can they keep it up? But uh I I do think they can. Uh I think that Coach Signetti's done a great job of staying true to who he is and getting his guys in that that fit his system, his culture. Uh, and and I don't see him changing that. And and as long as he doesn't, I I think he'll continue to get the right fit. Um, you know, he he's just wanting guys that that buy in, want to play in his system and and be for each other. Uh, and as as long as he can keep uh building that culture and and those guys staying uh engaged in that, I think they can sustain it. Now, that is a big if. Obviously, uh, you know, the the amount of money that people can throw at at the at the players is is different. Uh, but uh I I think culture can win out. So it would be nice to see that continue. Yeah, absolutely. Sean, what about you?
SPEAKER_05:Uh I don't think at the national championship level consistency. Uh I'd not like when Alabama had that dynasty going there for a little while. Um, I think they could continue. To be in the top 25, top 10, uh, maybe flirt with the final four. I just think there's some uncertainty, and you have to constantly hit home runs with the transfer portal. Um, you know, Kurt said with with the the um culture that uh Signeti has over there, uh, I think that's that's an incredible thing that he's been able to do and build. And I don't see that wavering or changing. He seems like he's um pretty pretty set uh and has a pretty good idea of who he is and what he wants his program to be. Um but being able to get a quarterback like this, and uh, I know they're getting a kid from TCU next season, and I don't know anything about him, but being able to hit a home run on that year in and year out, I I think might get to be a little bit tough. Uh, but I think you're gonna start to see maybe some of the egos of the big power fives, the Ohio States, the Michigans, the Alabamas, and people just unloading even more money than what they are now to get and keep uh some of these big time blue chip guys. And um, so I do think they'll they'll be uh more consistent and uh a higher level team, a higher ranked team than what Indiana ever was in the past. Uh I just think the game has changed so much now with the transfer portal and the NIL money. I think you're gonna see some different teams um kind of surfacing the Texas Tex, you know, the SMUs, some of these Texas schools that have big time money that they can spend. Um, so I I think you're gonna see some different teams throughout uh, you know, over the next 10 years, you might see 10 different teams win it.
SPEAKER_04:I would love that uh to see 10 different teams uh win the national championship over the last 10 years. I feel like everyone's kind of got used to okay, it's gonna be Alabama, it's gonna be Ohio State. Uh you're gonna have these two teams, they're gonna be fighting for a national championship every year. Um, and let's see if it comes down to Georgia's been in there lately. Um yeah, I would love to see this uh college football playoff with the transfer portal kind of give these give other schools and other teams a a chance to win a national championship. Uh do I think a JMU or a Tulane deserve to be in there still? No, I'm happy some smaller schools did make the playoffs and get got a chance to be on a national stage, but um they just weren't ready. There was there was no no need for those two teams to go in there and take the beating that they absolutely did in the first round. Um but obviously it it will bode well for the programs, you know, getting on that national stage, and hopefully that they they can turn it around. Uh but yeah, I I would love to see there be more teams winning national championships other than the same three to four schools every year. Um hell when it was the four-team playoff, I think you could always just pencil in Ohio State, Clemson, and Alabama every year, and then you just throw a fourth team in there to see who can even try to make it a competitive. But um, yeah, I like this 12-team playoff. I I think it'll bode well with the transfer portal. Uh, I want to move here, but uh, this question is only for Matt and Bob. And Bob, we're gonna start with you. Uh, what are your thoughts on uh Miami playing the national championship game on their home field? Do you think that helps them at all?
SPEAKER_02:Um, I don't think it will because um if you know Miami fans, they're too busy on the beach. They don't like to they don't care about going to the games. It's like a lot of times uh watching the games is like half empty. So um I think there'll be a little bit more people there, but I wouldn't be surprised if there's a lot of red in the stands with Indiana because I think you know the Miami people are out, you know, going to the beach and and doing some other things. So I I think um it's nice to have them there. I think in the back in the day when they played the Orange Bowl in the championships they played, it was a little different, but uh uh this stadium is a little bigger and uh it's like a lot more open. So I think it'll help a little bit, but not as much as people think. I think. I got you, Matt. What are your thoughts?
SPEAKER_03:Yeah, I kind of feel the same thing. Um, you know, I was checking the face value on the tickets for the game is$900. And I don't know, I guess it's which fan base wants to pay the most if it's not the advertisers, you know, or people getting tickets, but that's a pretty steep price to pay for a college championship game face value. But um, I don't know. I mean, I think it's so commercialized, I don't think it's uh gonna be too much of a sway for one team or the other. Uh I am curious, though, and I don't know if any of you guys know, um, is Miami gonna be in their they're the away team, but which locker room are they gonna be in? Are they gonna be in their own locker room or they have to be in the visitors? And so I was just curious, that's all. That's a good question.
SPEAKER_04:I I think by rule, I think they have to be in the visitors' locker room in their home field, which would I think that might be, you know, a a I hate this because I'm trying not not to cuss, but I'm going to, but a total mind fuck for them. You know, you're in your home stadium, but yet you're in the in the visitors locker room. I mean, I think that might throw a whole monkey wrench into the whole thing for them at the start of the game. Um and coming out of halftime.
SPEAKER_02:So I read something some. I read some, I'm sorry, Mike, but I read something somewhere. I think when they do the dolphins don't let them in the the their locker room. I think they have an extra locker room. So they they're I think the hurricanes when they play there, they're usually in the visitors' locker room. Oh so I know I read some an article somewhere where the dolphins don't let them in their locker room during the season. Well then that yeah, that just turned me for a whole other room.
SPEAKER_04:So that'll be like another regular game, then. Yeah, yeah. Okay. So yeah, the the locker room might not play a factor. It might, I don't know. Um I hope you're right, Bob, because I don't want there to be anything to screw with this because I want to see just these two teams at their purest. You know, I know Miami. I think being home and being able to practice and not having that travel schedule.
SPEAKER_02:I think that'll help a little bit.
SPEAKER_04:That's gonna help a little bit. You know, you're practicing in the you know, in Miami where you're gonna play, so you don't have to worry about the weather. I mean, up here where we're at in Ohio, I mean, this is uh it was a balmy 19 degrees here today, so you know what I mean. Like Indiana's got to prepare for that, and then going to a warmer climate. I know I was talking to Jose off the air. I mean, I mean, he said it was it's in the 70s there, so I mean it's not like super hot by any stretch of the means, so I don't think we'll have to worry about any like dehydration things or anything like that. But I think that you know, Miami just being able to be home and not have to worry about the travel is gonna be a play a big part. I think I think it's gonna make them a little bit more competitive. Um Kurt, let's go to you on uh this one. We're gonna get everybody in on this these next couple of questions here, but um, I want to get all of your guys' opinion on this over the past two years of the 12-team playoff. Uh, the top four seeds each year who received a bye, I mean, combined or one and seven, we've been talking about it the entire show. Um, with Indiana being the only winning uh the only winner. Uh, what are your guys' thoughts on the I mean, is 12 teams too many?
SPEAKER_00:Uh well, I I mean that probably just depends on uh uh on who you ask. I I think it's it's better than four for sure. Um you know, you get uh you get uh a majority of the the top teams from the season in that in that tournament. I think that makes a big difference. I think they can add to it and still uh and still be good with that. But um, you know, I I'm I'm happy that it's at least 12, but I think we could add more too. I gotcha.
SPEAKER_04:Uh Matt, what about you?
SPEAKER_03:Yeah, I I think they just need to quit messing with it. I mean, they got to give us a couple years to get used to it, you know. I mean, it's definitely better than zero, definitely better than two and four even. Um, I don't know. If you can let people get a chance to just get used to 12, that's okay. Um, I'd accept 16. Um, but you know what? There's always gonna be ESPN people talking about who's left out, whether you have 32 or heck, if you go to the division three model, there's what 40 teams, I think, in Hatton. Um, it's just uh it's a long season, and uh whatever they decide to do. I'm a fan of college football, so that's more games to watch. Absolutely, Sean. What about you?
SPEAKER_05:Um, I'm okay with the 12. I think they need to clean up um and come up with some consistency with these conference championships. I think there's uh um an advantage um for some of the teams to not have to play in it. Um, so I I think that to me, for me personally, I'd like to see that cleaned up uh more than add teams, takeaway teams. I'm okay with the 12. I do agree with uh I think a couple of you guys mentioned like Tulane and James Madison being in there. Um I didn't really see a need for those teams. You know, it's cool for those particular schools, um, and it's great for those small schools to to be seen in big markets and um on a big stage. But you know, I I think Notre Dame might have been a little better opponent than uh Tulane or James Madison. Um, but yeah, I'm I'm fine with the 12. Uh I'd just like to see the the conference championship thing get be just be consistent across the board. Either everybody does it or nobody does it.
SPEAKER_04:No, yeah, I got you on that one. Bob Brand is out on this one.
SPEAKER_02:No, I'm good with the 12. Uh, I can see them going to 16 to kind of, like you said, eliminate those buys so that that the um those three those four teams will at least play at the same amount of games. And so um, and then maybe you you throw in those easy teams so they get like an easy game the first week, so they won't have to worry about getting upset. So you can keep the chains of James Madison and let the top C just bury him, and then they won't have to worry about it. But uh the 12 will be fine, but I could see them going to 16 just uh uh eliminate those the the week off and stuff and uh let them play.
SPEAKER_04:That that's kind of where I was gonna go with this one. You know, I like the 12. I think 16 um is gonna be the magic number for them because it eliminates those bye weeks, and like like we said, I mean, they're one and seven, and Indiana's the first one to even make it out of their bye week um and out of the second round. Um, and now they're playing for a national championship, which is great. Um, because it proves that it it you know it can work, but I think now you get everyone on an even playing field, they're all playing the same amount of games. Um, and I think that would work a little bit better. Um, and we wouldn't be having these types of conversations like, well, okay, the the teams that have gotten the bye, there's been one team, and right now they're playing for a national championship that has made it out the past two years. Um but I yeah, I was I was skeptical at first of the 12-team playoff because I had been screaming for years that I think an eight-team playoff um was the magic number. You have uh five power five conferences, uh all those conference championships get an automatic bid uh to the national championship. You did what you were supposed to do, you played the conference championship. And if you have one of these weaker divisions, like a Mac or a WAC that um or a conference you would say that had an undefeated team that you know did what they were supposed to do and they didn't lose a game, now you give them a shot there too as well. Now, obviously, I mean they're going up against the power five, like that's not gonna be that competitive of a game, but it gets them on the national stage and maybe gets them some transfers in there to make them a little bit more relevant now. Um and I thought an 18 playoff was gonna be the number, but I think I think 12 to 16 is the max that you go. I I don't want to see them get into like the March Madness where we're just like, let's let everybody in and let's see the 60-14 playoff and see how that goes. I think if they start going over 16, that's just I mean, that's just now we're just pushing to just get more football for everybody. And I mean, I'm a football fan, but at some point we get we gotta draw a line in the sand, and I think that line is 16. Um, Bob to stay with you here on this one though. Um which staff is better as a whole? Is it Miami uh led by uh Mariano? And I always butcher his last name, so I'm not even gonna uh gonna try it. Um, or is it um Kurt Signetti and his staff at Indiana?
SPEAKER_02:This is a tough one. As far as the head coaches, I go with uh Signeti. Um I just think uh watching, like I said, uh Mario over the last couple years, he he butchers the end of the game sometimes, uh, has lost a couple games because of it. Even that Ohio State game, they said he butchered that one. He should have just knelt down and they would have only had the ball with like about five or six seconds left, but they score, they you know, how do they let them score? But um, I think as a staff, I think Miami staff is is a little better. I think they got the the coordinators are a little better. Uh, but if you're counting just head coaches, I would go with Signetti. But if you're coaching as a staff as a whole, I think Miami staff is better. Okay. Sean, what about you?
SPEAKER_05:Um, I'm gonna have to go with uh Indiana. I I don't really don't know everybody on on both staffs that wouldn't go to to name names or anything besides I think isn't Shanahan, one of the Shanahan's uh Indiana's um offensive coordinator. But um to the best of my knowledge, I think a lot of those guys came with them. So I think there's some consistency uh with this staff. Uh I could be wrong on that. So I'm just gonna throw a dart, say Indiana, only because I think his staff was with him previously and they came over with them. So I think there's something to be said for that consistency and that continuity for a staff. Uh, not that they necessarily know more football or they're more creative or um anything like that, but I I'm just gonna go with the Indiana just because of I in my head, there's consistency to it. But I could be wrong on that, so I really don't know.
SPEAKER_04:No, you're you're absolutely right on that. There is the consistency factor of a lot of them were together. Uh uh one of the Shanahans is the OC there um in Indiana. Um, I mean, what I'm gonna go for. Crystal ball is done there at um Miami. You know, I think you know it's something to be said. You know, you get a 10 team, uh 10 seed that's playing for a national championship, and obviously you you did something right being something that at the start of this, we didn't even know if it was gonna be them or Notre Dame. You know, they weren't even sure if they were gonna get in it, and now they're playing for a national championship, which I think that factor helps out any staff, uh, no matter who you are, getting that underdog, like, hey, they weren't even gonna put us in this thing, and now look at where we're at. Uh, but Signetti, I just it's just something about his staff that it's hard for me to go against. And just the look on his face. I mean, they're up like 40 points, and he and he just has this look like, oh man, you missed a block there as a receiver on the backside that had that guy that had to chase him 40 yards down the field and he still made the play, you know, because you didn't block off the off the snap, and we're up by 40. And you know, he keeps that intensity, and I think he has that throughout his staff and the consistency, like Sean was saying there. Um, I think I I go with Indiana on that. But uh uh Matt, what about you?
SPEAKER_03:Yeah, I mean, I have to agree with Sean. I mean, if you look on Indiana staff, um just you look at how many of their coaches either coached with Signetti at Indiana, Pennsylvania, or were at Indiana IUP at some point or another. So, you know, there's consistency there. Um, I do have a soft spot for Miami. Um, the coach in me. I've I've followed Miami, uh, Crystal Ball and uh their defense coordinator with a lot of the stuff they've been doing over the years, you know, coming through the ranks and at their different places. So uh they do a lot of neat things on defense that we try to get to translate into our program. So uh, you know, it's yeah, I'm kind of torn because you know, Signeti, some of those guys on Signeti staff came to our neck of the woods and walked our halls there at one point or another uh when they're at IUP like 17 years ago. And uh also, you know, we're trying to do some things that Miami's doing on defense here uh at the high school level. So I got a soft spot for that staff too. So I don't know. I'm just torn. I got you. Kurt, round us out on this question.
SPEAKER_00:Well, I I mean, I think both staffs uh have done a tremendous job. They they they preach grit, toughness, accountability, togetherness, uh, everything that championship teams are made of. Um, if if I were given an advantage or staff I would go with, it would be Indiana and Cygnet. Just uh just because of it, like everybody's mentioned, they've been together uh and they started off small and and fought like hell to get to where they're at. Uh and just going through that process of going from the D2 level all the way up to now in the national championship spotlight and and not uh fraying away from each other uh you know at this point, right? So they've they've stayed the course, got there together. I I think there's uh that's that's why their program is so tight. I think uh you know the the kids see that the way they've they've come up through the ranks and the kids believe in that. And I think there's just that that gives them just a little bit of an edge. And and if I remember right, uh Miami's DC was on uh Signetis staff at JMU for a while as well. So they've got a little bit of a tie uh together on that side too. But I I would say Indiana's got just a little bit of an advantage, but uh Miami's got an awfully good staff too.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah, don't get me wrong. I like both staffs are phenomenal. Like I think both staffs um are great at what they do. Um but yeah, it's it's the consistency um with Indiana for me. Uh, but we are gonna round the show out here with this last question here. Uh Kurt, we're gonna stay with you on this one. And which two teams will do you see next year in the 26-27 uh season competing for a national championship?
SPEAKER_00:Well, uh, I'm gonna say Georgia would be my uh again, my heart's telling me that one. I'm a I'm a Bulldog fan, uh, but I I think they uh they can definitely be in contention for that. And then you know, I gotta think Notre Dame's gonna come back strong as well. Oh, so you're going Nord, uh Georgia, Notre Dame?
SPEAKER_04:Yep. Okay. Uh Matt, what about you?
SPEAKER_03:Uh you mean the two teams playing uh next year in the national championship, 26-27 season game. Doesn't have to be Indiana or no, no, no, no.
SPEAKER_04:Who do you have do you, you know, who's your prediction for next season?
SPEAKER_03:I'm gonna go, I'm gonna take a dark horse. I'm gonna say LSU and then I'm gonna stay true to my heart and say Ohio State. Those are the two teams I got.
SPEAKER_04:I got you. Sean, what about you? Oh man.
SPEAKER_05:Um I I've uh I taught Ohio State this year, and I'm gonna stick with Ohio State again for next year, and then I'm torn between Oregon returns a lot. Um and Texas Tech just they're they're starting to get that thing rolling a little bit. Um I'll go I'll go Texas Tech Ohio State.
SPEAKER_01:Okay. Bob, what about you?
SPEAKER_02:I'm gonna pick the K's, but I think they're gonna they're gonna take a step back. They're gonna lose a lot of those guys to the pros next year. So um, you know, a team that's uh a surprise team, I think Texas is gonna, I think Banning's gonna have a better year than he did last year. I think. So I'm gonna do uh Texas and Oregon.
SPEAKER_04:Okay. I'm trying so hard not to be a homer here and say my Mountaineers and Rich Rod get get something done and at least you know get into the playoff and try to make a run. I just know it's not gonna happen because as a Mountaineer fan, I say I love them to death, but they disappoint me every single season. Um, so I'm gonna let the inner the inner sports analyst here in me take over. And um uh I'm gonna go with uh Ohio State as much as that pains me to say because I I cannot stand the buckeyes at all in Ohio State. Um and I I think Texas Tech, uh yeah, I think they're they they're getting that that right, and I think next year um they're able to do it. So we're gonna go Ohio State, Texas, test Texas Tech, and I can't even get the words out of my mouth. That's how much I can't stand either of these teams. Like that's how badly I I can't do it. But those are the picks for me. Um, and that is how we're going to end this show with me stumbling over my words because I did like that they they taste bad now. I have a bad taste in my mouth for saying those two teams because I can't cast in either of them. But that is going to do it for this week's episode of the Ride Home Rants podcast. I want to thank all of my guests, Jose, who we did have to leave early. He did have some commitments there at FIU. Uh, Sean, Matt, Kurt, and Bob for joining the show. It was a lot of fun getting to sit and talk to you guys about the national championship. I look forward to seeing how our predictions come true. And as always, if you enjoyed the show, be a friend. Tell a friend. If you didn't, tell them anyways, they might like it just because you didn't. That's gonna do it for me, and I will see y'all next week.
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