We'll start things off on a Wednesday with Kyle Bonnagerra Kyle, Happy Wednesday, buddy.
How are we doing?
You know? So I found myself really relating to Cam Rising this week because on Monday and night actually dislocated my finger. Visited the orthopedis yesterday. That diagnoses three to six weeks. I should have full mobility back in my finger. So I really know what it's like to go through the riggers and he's going through right now.
Well, Kyle, at least we know what you're going through, because we have no idea still what.
Cam Rising's going through.
I really wasn't gonna ask you again because you joined us last week, but I'm sorry I have to. We're sitting here Wednesday of game week, and it's kind of the same deal. I've heard from a couple of people up there that there's a little bit of a I don't know, there's a little momentum in the direction of simply just riding with Isaac. Let's go with the kid, but that hasn't been decided. We could see him on Friday.
You're the guy here, Kyle, mister college college football, Kyle bona girl, what's the take this week?
On where we find ourselves for.
The seventieth straight week with the ambiguity surrounding Cam Rising.
Yeah, so it's a lot of guesswork still, right, But I think this week will be really telling about the rest of the season, because look, if he was close a couple of weeks ago, close last you know, two weeks ago, then you have a bye week and he's still not back coming off the buy. At that point, it's like, Okay, I feel like the assumption just should be that it's Wilson until there's any reason to think otherwise. You know, you know, I don't have a great sense,
you know, either way for ASU on Friday. But look, regardless of what happens, I think it'll be pretty telling about what to expect after that, because, like I mean, it's it's all comical to talk about at this point. It's been the same thing for so long. But yeah, like the longer this goes, the more you kind of feel like, yeah, it might as well kind of just go with Wilson and hope that you're kind of developing to the teacher. At that point. It's a little bit
play to say that, confinument. I mean, there's still four and one there's everything to play for. But that feels like the sense I'm getting just watching this all play out.
So, as I reference, there are some people in the market that believe the time isn't all that far off from just rolling with Isaac Wilson. Now, my opinion on that is that Cameron makes such a difference that no matter when he's ready, he should get the job back.
But if Cam's not ready Friday and it's Isaac once again, in your opinion, are we approaching a point where it's only fair to the team and fair to the fan base, even though Kyle doesn't give a rip about that it's not his job and and fair to Isaac Wilson to maybe just roll with him. Or do you believe that whenever Cam is ready, he's back under center, even if it's in like seven weeks.
Yeah, So, I think the obligation Kyle has as the head coach is the play whoever gives the program the best chance to win. And so if I think is an improving market lead over the next few weeks Cam's healthy later in the year, I still think, you know, circumstances will play a role in that too, Like if you're if you're six and one and you're winning to spite your quarterback play, or you're nine and when you're winning despite pull quarterback play and CAM at that point,
it like represents an upgrade. Like I think you've got to go back to CAM at that point. But if cam's limited in a way still where you can't throw the ball accurately or whatever, the reason might be. Right, there's a number of ways, like you know, a scenario that you can kind of map map out, then you
would go with Wilson. I think it's bottom line, whoever gives you the best chance to win, you know, but like that that's if you have a lot to play for it if they lose the next four games or whatever, right, and the season the season is in a place where, look, you're playing for like kind of a third to year Bowl game, right, and that's those are the stakes at
the end of the year. Then I think it's there's probably more value for the program to to let ISAAC continue to develop and then maybe that there's a benefit next year in doing that. But yeah, I think you kind of have to look at a week by week you can kind of make like run through the list of all the kind of the factors that the player a role in that decision.
So the fact of the matter is, Isaac has seven interceptions. There's no team the top twenty five that has a quarterback with more than five.
Yet they're four and one, and that is all that matters.
Now, Okay State might just be bad, Baylor might just be bad, and then they beat up on Southern Utah and Utah State. So there is a world that exists where the conversation sounds like, how tested has Isaac really been?
Arizona rolled in here and you were there.
You watch them simply beat Utah in the trenches, which nobody does, and certainly not a team like Arizona that didn't seem like they were equipped to hang with Utah's physicality. So you've seen it up close. Let's just start in a vacuum. Arizona State Friday night, eight thirty, Kenny Dillingham has that team off to a solid start. If it's Isaac under center, what do you think happens Friday night down in Tempe.
It's it's it's still so hard for me to sit here and predict Arizona State to beat Utah. You know, in whatever week six of the twenty twenty fourth season, because you know, coming into the year, like the expectations are so far apart. But now that Arizona State is off to a four and one start, it's they're in a different place, right and then and then there there their schedule is a little bit deceiving as well, right, I mean, Texas State is okay, but that was a
close game that they could have lost. Mississuppi State is terrible, Wyoming is terrible, Kansas is one in five. Those are their wins. Right in Texas techjury is still out on how good, on how good they are, so like we don't we the records here, both teams are four and one, but I think there's still so much learn about both teams that have a really great feeling about it. So I mean, I'll still default to thinking that Utah should be should beat Arizona State. You know, that's not being
said like it's a question. It's a valid question now, And I think that's that's the point, right. The fact that this is a game that looks like it should be closed and could go either way, I think speaks to the directions of both programs. You know, here in early October.
So Fox Big neon kickoff is in provo this week.
And I don't know were you probably you're a little bit younger.
Were you in college when Urban Meyer was coaching Utah two.
Thousand and five, two thousand and four to two thousand.
And five, Yeah, yeah, yeah, So I started college in three so he was. He was at Utah's end. So for I got to kind of watch that whole kind of the evolution process of of Utah football that for the last two decades or so.
One of the reasons Urban will always be legendary around here is that still to this day, I'll use my brother in law as an example. Now, Kyle, you need to know a couple of things about my brother in law. When to b Yu, he is approaching fifty Still to this day, he has a T shirt with his dorm room number on it, and he and his buddies go.
To one BYU Game of Year.
I swear he has Cosmo pajamas. He denies it, but if you ask him, if you ask him who is the most hated figure from Utah football all time, he will not hesitate, and he will say Urban Meyer. And he's not alone because when Urban was here, he coined the phrase team down south, he refused to Now, it's used in other rivalries, but Urban brought it here. He refused to even say BYU. And that's been adopted by other folks in Utah circles, and he kicked their trash.
I mean, he smoked them and then ultimately brought Utah football in a very short time to a place that even BYU football probably dreamed of being.
Back.
Then, my man's going to be down in Provo with Fox Big noon kickoff coming up against Arizona, I have to imagine he's going to be greeted with quite the venomous response from BYU fans.
No, I didn't know. I didn't know the history of that. Adopt more up on that, but yeah, I mean he I mean, I guess the other part about he's like naturally kind of an unlikable guy proponents. It's just like that's the general consensus on him. So if you're not only does he have that vibe for like neutral fans, but I can only imagine if you add the rivalry aspect on top of that in like flaming animosity. So yeah, I mean that gives me a gives me a reason to tune into to that one Staturday morning.
So you've seen Arizona up close, and the game you saw up close here in saw Lake, they were very impressive. Then they lose to Texas Tech, and we'll get to
at some point. I just want to ask you, like, who's good, because I don't know, maybe Texas Tech is good, no clue, uh b YU is getting four and a half points at home, and of course they're one of uh well really one of only two undefeated teams overall with Iowa State in the mix, then five undefeated teams in conference, a lot of momentum down south Man, how do you see BYU Arizona playing out?
For me? This is gonna be the measuring stick for buy because I didn't touch much of the case State win and that's kind of like, hey, SMUs, I guess this looks like a pretty good win now too. But I think it's at a point in the year where by a U has earned the attention of of of the national media. Right, there wasn't really a whole lot to like coming into the year, uh you know, but now it's you know, you kind of have to have to start paying attention. So like, yeah, I mean Arizona
for me the disappointment. I was blown away by no Fafiita after he came you know, you know, entered the frame last year and is kind of what he did down the stretch. Really disappointed though with what that offensive looked like. And then they have the best receiver in college football and to turn the team act of there and so for them to be as unimpressive we can we get out offensively, that back for me has has been a surprise. And so, uh, yeah, could they find it? Sure?
Buyu is obviously you know, defensively they've been good, right, I Mean it wasn't great against why against Baylor last week, but certainly to that point, I think what I don't even know if they've given up had given up even twenty points in a game until last league. Yeah, so we'll
we'll find out more, uh this week. And I the other thing that does the Big Twelve is if you look at like up and down the standings, right like it's it's a rare conference of where LA Kansas is really bad this year and Baylor is bad and Oklahoma State's also and three I think it was I think there are three and three teams in the conference, Like if any of those teams were to be an undefeated team in the conference, I don't think you would be surprised,
and very like vibes of the PAC twelve in that respect, just like the parody within the conference, and so it actually makes it a lot of fun to follow, and just I don't think there's a great team, but there's like anything can happen, which is which is kind of a nice change of pace. I guess well.
That leads me to my next question, and you may have just answered a little bit, uh who's good? Like I mean cause because really you could make like, look, I Kilanie's my guy, and I think b YU is legit and they're there, they've already you surpassed expectations. But even with a team like b YU, like that case State game man, that was serious Angels in the out now respect for by U. Aaron Rodger called the kill shots, you know, red zone touchdowns, and.
They caused the chaos.
Baylor isn't very good and they made that game really interesting. You're right about the SMU win. That looks better and better and better. I mean, nobody was talking about Texas Tech. A few people had Iowa State on the radar. I don't know if you consider Colorado good because you don't trust them. And I still think Utah can be good. But the caveat, of course his health. So who's good Kyle in the big twelve right now?
Who's good?
Pretty well? There? I mean, I think like if there's reason to be like competent in Iowa stated like I think they had something like eighteen starter that's something exact number, but they had a lot of starters and a lot of production coming back from last year. So I guess it's as far as who you should be the most COMPETENTD like that would be the case for Iowa state is just like the continuity is there in a way that you know what it isn't the case other places.
But man, I'll have a hard time voucher for anyone really at this point because I think like the Uyu have the SMU one is actually probably the best win. It's like atl non conference when I would state Iowa, I'm not really a big Iowa you know advocate, but I guess that's starting to hang your out on Robert Gate early in the year. Yeah, Like I'd love to have a hot take and be like, you know, this is for sure, the best team, but like I like you know this, I do both projections every week, and
so you have to kind of pick one. I had Duyu as the as the pick this week. You to call it a coin flip between them and Iowa State. Colorado's kind of approaching that territory where you're like, wait, are are are they good? Because you know, man, I was telling you a few weeks ago, I think I thought it was about ready to implode, and that doesn't look like the case anymore at all, especially after beating DUCF the way they did a couple of weeks ago.
So they actually might be might be good, which is hard for me to admit, but I think that you just kind of have to acknowledge reality when we have these discussions. So, yeah, like the few undefeated teams on them, he was a great team, but I think there's a teams like I think the team that finishes with top the standings could have two conference flops as it's shaping up as that type of year.
So I've never been a Tuscaloosa I'd like to attend a football game down there. I think it'd be cool to see Brian Denny Stadium, and I cheer for Kaylen.
Debor former PAC twelve buddy of ours. And you know Vandy. Look let me start here.
That can't happen if you're Alabama, period. But Vandy, you know they beat VA Tech. You know they took Mazoo to overtime. They're not the dormant that they typically are. I mean, they're the only school in the SEC where you actually do have to fill out paperwork if you want to attend, So it's a little bit more difficult for them to get the talent some.
Of the other schools get.
What do you think Kaylen de Bor's week has been like down in Tuscaloosa after being upset by Vandy.
I really like Kalen a lot. I got to spend a lot of time with the one who's at Washington, and I found myself genuinely feeling for the guy this week as much as a can a guy who makes, you know, twelve million dollars or whatever it is to do his job. But if he hadn't been Georgia the week before, I mean I feel like he would like he would be on the hot seat, Like no joke.
That's how bad losing to Bandy is. If you're the coach at Alabama, and there's like a lot of stats about points allowed and last time this type of happen. Like last time, this happetype type stuff that has kind of emerged after losing to Randy. But yeah, you just can't do that. I mean, he's getting take into task now because of like his sideline attire. It's very like Obama tan suit vibes with that. It's like there's everything that anything that it's possibly grounds for criticism now is
going to be people are going to take their shots. Yeah, you you have a really impressive win against Georgia, then you have this disaster. Like the tail of two weeks is about as starking contrast as can possibly be. But the thing is is the way that the playoff format is now, Like I still think Alabama's in a good spot to reach the playoff, right, as long as that happens, the end of year results are going to see how
he's how he's measured. It's he's to take a lot of hate until, you know, until he's kind of earned his way back into their good graces. But yeah, that's that's a bad look. And especially year one, early in the year replacing Nick Saban, it's the absolute worst case scenario is losing to Vanderbilt. For Kailin Deboor.
Since we talked to you last week and you know, you did a good job with this with game day being in Berkeley, your thoughts that that was rough, man, I felt bad. I felt bad for Cal a guy, Roxy Bernstein. Your thoughts on the scene and how it played out after Miami got to win.
Yeah, So, I mean I live near cal like half an hour away, grew up here, and so I kind of grew up with going to cow games and experience it them and didn't go to Cal or anything like that, but like certainly has an affinity for like the fans and just like the people of the region. Uh. Yeah, it went from like they showed out for game day. I was over there for a little bit just to
kind of get a sense of the vibe. And it was really an incredible special day for Berkeley, for the athletic department, the football progam all those things, and you know, for three quarters it looked like it was gonna be one of the most you know, there's gonna be nothing bad happened to blow at twenty five point second half lead, like on that day of all days, it's about a severe gut punches as they could have taken. I think still they'll remember it favorably, like the whole experience and
just kind of the direction the program is headed. There's like a lot of good vibes there, but man to implode the way they did late, it's tough. And look, you know it was absolutely targeting at the end of the game too, so you had that element like Cows shouldn't have been in the position because but kind of a poor decision from the referee changed the change the
trajectory of it. Right, Like two weeks in a row that Miami had a you know, a very helpful officiating decisions swinging the swing the outcome of the game for them. They've been with two different decisions for four and two as opposed to six and Oh and you know, Kal could be sitting here with one loss if the correct call goes their way.
All right, Kyle, last thing and I'll set you loose. I have been Otson, I know you have too, And what an experience. You know, it's not the biggest stadium in the world. Ohio State is seen bigger, but they probably have also seen louder. They're not going to be stung by the moment. That's just not an easy place to play. And that's kind of the banner game of the weekend coming up five point thirty prime time.
What do you think happens up in Eugene? Before I say you loose?
I loved it up in this one. I think that they're they're progressing in a way to have me feeling really confident about about what the operation looks like. But I mean this is like this is the example of like why Media Network says like pushed for push for conference realignment. Right, you get a number three rank for Oregon hosting number two Ohio State in October. I mean these games like that's as big as a game as you can see, right, And so I mean I won't
be either. I just kind of hopeing I would get that,
get that assignment. But certainly, you know, it says it's also like for the ghost of the PAC twelve kind of a big game, right of like you know, still I still feel like there's this affinity for the teams who were in the conference in their new conference homes, and so I think that there's almost like abruptherhood there that the people on the West Coast can kind of point to you and kind of say, hey, look, big time college football exists on this part, in this part
of the country. I think that's why I like Cal's showman in game Day was like kind of a big deal. Right. So yeah, I mean, Ohio State hasn't really played anyone either, and so we'll see, we'll see who's the real.
Kyle, you're the man.
Appreciate the time this week, have a great week, enjoy the college football.
We'll get you back soon. Okay, sounds good. Thanks all right, Kyle blon Gar from ESPN