It’s a coach’s crisis Wednesday on Sports IQ with Larry Smith — and this one’s loaded. From James Franklin’s shocking Penn State firing to Matt Rhule’s sudden connection to State College, and Wisconsin’s stunning collapse under Luke Fickell — the college football carousel is officially spinning out of control.

Larry opens with the latest headlines:

• Dodgers dominate as Yamamoto throws the first postseason complete game in eight years

• Mariners surge toward their first-ever World Series berth

• FIFA confirms 2026 World Cup sites will not move despite political chatter

• And the WNBA Finals draw record-breaking viewership, even without Caitlin Clark on the court.

Then the guests roll in:
🎙️ Mike Gross (The Gross Rational Product, Substack) breaks down what really happened at Penn State — from Franklin’s brutal exit to fan backlash, locker-room tension, and why the program’s meltdown is unlike anything he’s seen in 40 years.

🎙️ Evan Bland (Omaha World-Herald) joins from Lincoln to dissect the Matt Rhule–Penn State rumors, his Monday press conference, and what it means for Nebraska’s momentum as the Huskers return to the Top 25. Is Rhule leveraging the moment for NIL muscle — or is there more to the smoke?

🎙️ Matt Perkins (Believe in Badgers Podcast) closes the coaching gauntlet with a fiery segment on Luke Fickell’s unraveling in Madison. From locker-room chaos to offensive collapse and alumni outrage, Perkins argues Wisconsin football is in its darkest era since the 1980s — and names who should replace Fickell if the axe falls.

Larry and Tony finish the show with lighter fare — a segment on Tiger Woods’ back surgery and the possibility of a Champions Tour comeback, plus a bizarre story of Dodgers players avoiding a haunted Milwaukee hotel during the NLCS.

Finally, a Moment of “Ah” honors Kirk Gibson’s legendary walk-off homer on this day in 1988 — one swing that defined grit and glory.

Topics Discussed:

• James Franklin’s firing fallout

• Penn State’s next coach: Rhule? Cignetti? Mullen?

• Nebraska’s NIL reality check and Top 25 return

• Wisconsin’s locker-room collapse under Luke Fickell

• Tiger Woods’ surgery and Champions Tour potential

• The haunted Fister Hotel spooking MLB players

• 1988 World Series flashback: Kirk Gibson’s miracle homer

Guests:
🎙️ Mike Gross – The Gross Rational Product (Substack)
🎙️ Evan Bland – Omaha World-Herald
🎙️ Matt Perkins – Believe in Badgers Podcast

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