Colin Cowherd Podcast - INSTANT REACTION: Ohio State Beats Texas, National Championship Preview, SEC Humbled

take notes during big games. Buckeyes win twenty eight to fourteen, They'll face Notre Dame and be about a touchdown favorite against the Irish. They've got a playmaker and skill advantage. I mean that game tonight. There's a lot of speed between Texas's defense and Ohio State's playmaking on offense and defense. Nobody should be happier about this playoff than Ryan Day.

Season could have ended with a Michigan loss and if he survives, just having to live in Columbus for the next year until they face Michigan again, or now playing for the national championship and playing their three best football games of the year, you know, against Tennessee, Oregon and Texas. So I mean, this playoff again, it just allows things. It's got an NFL feel to it. It allows you to lose late. It's not all about when you lose. And you know, coaches have bad Saturdays and bad Sundays.

I mean Andy Reid got beat by Antonio Pierce last year, all right, and you know, Ryan, they had a stinker out thought the room against Michigan. It happens. Great coaches have bad games. I mean, I watch more NFL than college because of my job, and I have to. But i've you know, I've seen Sean McVay go into a game, you know, and just they just don't bring anything to the table. They don't have a lot of juice, they don't have energy to play calling. So so so I

think Brian Dan chip Kelly between the two. I think Ohio State's got a good coaching staff. Yes, they have a lot of good players, but you know, George's got got a lot of good players. Alabama does, LSU does. There are a lot of good players in college football. You know, Ohio State forty two to nothing in the playoff in the first quarter. They come out rolling in these games. And that's coaching, you know, that's that is your game plan. In the second half, I thought just

Ohio State's overall talent separated the two. But in the first half, you know, in Ohio State had that great screenplay for a touchdown late that was about all their offense. But in the second half, Ohio State start making plays. They put together that thirteen play drive, and defenses wear down. You know, the offense knows what's coming. It's choreography. Defense guys are on the field, three hundred and thirty pound

defensive lineman and they wear down. And I thought Texas as the game went on that thirteen play drive, Texas didn't quite have the energy and the juice. And Ohio State has such elevated skill, so many good players. You know, it is interesting, though, this is not a great year for college quarterbacks. In the NFL, all eight divisions were won by the best quarterback in the division. But in college football, Shaduor Sanders and Cam Ward are the two

best quarterbacks easily, and they didn't make the playoff. So the NFL in college may feel like they're getting closer. But I mean, I think we can say this, Drew Aller, It's okay. Will Howard solid, not spectacular. You know, you start looking at the quarterbacks that were in the playoff. I'm not a huge quinn Ewers fan, you know. I mean a year ago, everybody was telling me he was a first rounder. I thought his mechanics were hitting miss.

I don't think he elevates others. He made a couple of nice plays in this game, but I mean the Sark's screen game, the Electric Perimeter players Texas has. He made a nice throw, very patient in front of a massive offensive line to a tight end that that's not that stuff's not as available in the NFL. I don't see quinn Ewers. To me, he's a six round pick in the draft. Will I think Will Howard moves much better, bigger,

stronger athlete. But you know, I mean, it's just funny that quinn Ewers is one of the highest paid guys in college football. And I just, you know, I think I'm pretty good at, you know, the quarterback thing. You know, I didn't like Zach Jones. I didn't like Daniel Jones. You know, I did like Darnold. I think over the course of time, I've missed on some quarterbacks, but I think I'm pretty accurate on the quarterback stuff. I like it.

I talk to a lot of people. I've never really I don't really see it with quinn Ewers, He's fine, but I think Texas should have a more, you know, a higher end quarterback. But let's be honest. Michigan struggled at quarterback this year. You u s C struggled at quarterback. You know, Alabama Jalen Milroll was hit and miss at quarterback. Is just not a good year. And I also think we have to be honest about this. And I like this. You know, I wrote some notes the SEC it got humbled.

I mean Texas, all those SEC fans telling you, oh Texas, Oklahoma, watch out, you come into the SEC. Yeah, Texas was the best team in the SEC. Well what about Georgia. Yeah, Georgia had Texas's number, But you know, Georgia's offensive line wasn't very good. They were in a backup quarterback. They didn't have a lot of zip to their offense. And in the end, the power of college football has shifted north. And it's a long time coming. I love college football,

but it got very very regional. And we all know, I mean, listen, we all know the SEC was paying players off and through churches it was like a poorly kept secret. Not everybody, but you know there there was a lot of money exchanging hands in the SEC. It was their little secret. I mean, it got so bad with Ole Miss people. Finally, you know, ratted on Hugh Freeze. But there was a lot of money exchanging hands. And

now everybody can pay college football players. And a lot of these northern universities have more money than these small college towns in the South. I mean, Alabama's athletic director is begging fans like bake sales and car washes, please give money. There's a lot of money at Michigan and Ohio State and Notre Dame and Penn State. There's a lot of money in those schools. Oregon and Phil Knight,

Washington and Seattle, you know. So I think there's a changing of the tide that if you're just going to pay players, the teams up north can go buy them. And I mean, I Notre Dame's defense as good as anything I saw on the SEC. Ohio State's the most talented team, Michigan was easily the most talented team last year and the best team. So that's not to say George's you know, gonna wilt and go away that I think there's been a shift and I see it with

my eyes over the last two years. I mean, listen, Notre Dame lost to Georgia twice close with Brian Kelly, and so you could you could see it slowly, slowly, slowly building as the transfer portal is ramped up over the last several years. But you know, Ohio State looks like the best team and it just was a matter of time to wear down Texas. And I love it. I love Notre Dame. I loved Listen. I grew up.

I said this on FS one today. I grew up with college football powers Washington, Nebraska, Penn State, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State. And there were some good SEC teams, but Texas always underachieved. And you know, USC had some good teams occasionally, but there was a lot of Northern teams. And then over the last twenty years, the power has really shifted to the south and it's been fun. But it feels like there's a swing back north and I

think it's good for the sport. I think Notre Dame in Ohio State is going to get a massive rating. I think Notre Dame's defense and run game can sustain some drives. It's going to be have to be a low scoring game. But Ohio State they make enough mistakes. You can pressure Will Howard into mistakes. He's not exceptionally, he's not a big playmaker. They had some penalties tonight, So you know, Ohio State will be a favorite. They'll probably be a little more tight. You know, just just

think about that national championship game. You know the pressure is going to be on Ohio State. All right. They're the ones that have twenty million bucks in nil money. They've got, you know, twelve five star guys. Notre Dame has won. So Notre Dame comes in underdog, excellent defense, great secondary, excellent coach, smart team, doesn't make a lot of mistakes. They're banged up on the offensive line. So

but I mean, so is Ohio State. So you know, I think Ohio State should be a seven point favorite. I think Ohio State's gonna win, but they make enough mistakes, so Notre Dame will I have a fighting chance. And you know, I like Riley Leonard. I know you don't, I know I do, But I'm happy for Ohio State. You know, it's interesting because I supported Jim Harbaugh. And I've had so many Michigan fans, you know, come up to me over the last year and thank me for

supporting them. But oh I just got this. Ohio State's nine and a half point favorite. I'd probably take Notre Dame in the points there, but I think Ohio State's the better team. But it's not like, you know, I'm just a Michigan man. I like Big ten football. I grew up as a West Coast kid and I watched a lot of Rose Bulls. I went to a couple of Rose Bowls, So I was always kind of a Pac twelve Big ten fan, and I just love the Northern stadiums and the Northern fans and the Northern tradition.

It's nothing against the SEC here the Big twelve, but I just that's what I grew up with. That's what I like, and what you like at nine years old is what you like in sports. So I grew up with a Big ten in the Pac twelve, and I just love seeing, you know, Penn State when I grew up was an independent, but I just love seeing these big Northern programs where the fans going bad weather and they care so much about their team, and they travel so much. And Big ten teams have always been willing

to play big out of conference games. Ohio State has, Michigan has I love that about him, Washington has Oregon's willing to play anybody. Now those two teams are in the conference. So listen. If you were expecting by adding a bunch of teams to the playoff, twelve team playoff, which will expand to fourteen or sixteen teams, if you're expecting that this was going to open up the opportunities for multiple national champions that have never won before. I

love you, but you're a hopeless romantic. It's harder for the little guy now to win. I mean, could imagine if you're a little guy. Okay, you beat Clemson and here comes Oregon, and now it's Georgia and now it's Ohio State. Little guys have no chance to win this thing. It's just you know, Penn State was eventually, eventually they got the easy run. You know, they got SMU and they got Boise State. But eventually Penn State, you know, they faced Notre Dame and they just didn't have the

firepower on the perimeter. But the rich are going to get richer, and that's just the reality. I'll tell you. I wouldn't have guessed it. Five years ago Notre Dame planned for a national championship and playing a Northern team. I always felt like Ohio State was the one SEC team up north. Just the zelotry and the passion and they look I mean they've always Ohio State recruits better than Michigan does they do, They've got more pros. I mean Harriball obviously his last year at Michigan was a

stacked team, but that was an exception. Ohio States, to me, has always had on average eight out of ten years, has more NFL bodies than Michigan. But when you watched this Ohio State team, I mean, go since Brian Hartlines got the and started recruiting receivers, lord, and they just got NFL first round dudes everywhere. And when you have those kind of players, and I thought Texas did a good job bracketing Jeremiah Smith tonight, I mean they just

you can only hold Ohio State down. You know, Sawyer's going to be a first high second round player. The guy who made that sack and strip for a long touchdown. Buck. Guys just have playmakers on the d line. Caleb Downs could be the number one pick next year, could transfer from Alabama to first round level. You know NFL receivers eventually. Jeremiah Smith's a freshman. But there's just a lot of talent. I mean, the running backs for Ohio State, you know

those are top of the second round. Guys. There's just too many good players. So Notre Dame will have to play, you know, turnover free, very few penalties. You know, Ohio State also they jump out to lead, so Notre Dame likely playing from behind. That's a tall order. Way to go, buck, guys, way to go big ten. That feels pretty good. Now, don't get cocky because Lincoln Riley is right around the corner. Very solid team coming back for USC next year. Don't

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