In the latest episode Bison, Pope, and Rooster dive into the tumultuous world of college football, tackling everything from scandals at the University of Michigan to the playoff system's inherent inequities. With a professional yet conversational tone, they explore the challenges facing college football today and what it means for the future of the sport.

The Michigan Scandal

The guys start with a shocking revelation about the University of Michigan, where co-offensive coordinator Matt Weiss has been indicted for hacking into 15,000 student accounts to obtain compromising photographs of female students.

College Football Playoffs

Pope highlights the controversial inclusion of teams like Alabama, who many believe didn't deserve a spot due to their inconsistent performance. The guys analyze whether teams from the Group of Five (G5) conferences, such as Tulane and James Madison, should be included in the playoffs. The conversation also touches on the trouble with proposed expansion.

The podcast wraps up with a discussion on the future of college football under the changing regulations and the implications of NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) deals. The hosts are skeptical (to say the least) about whether the current system can adequately support fair competition, given the influx of talent and resources favoring certain programs.

Get the full breakdown of the season's crucial fantasy football drama as the hosts discuss a nail-biting playoff match between Pope and Rooster. Pope, who has been on a six-game winning streak and has a "shrine" dedicated to winning a league ring, is battling Rooster, who barely squeaked into the playoffs with an injury-focused strategy. The outcome of the game hinges on the Miami Dolphins vs. Pittsburgh defense matchup, with one host desperately needing an injury to Jalen Waddle on the first drive.

The hosts also tally the results from the previous week's betting segment, "Plaxico," where the collective went 3-2, with House leading the overall standings at 12-2-1 and Pope trailing with the worst record at 3-12.

For the new week's picks, the group offers their best bets, including the Bills minus 10 against Shador Sanders, the Eagles minus six and a half against the Commanders, and the Niners minus six at the Colts. The segment concludes with a wild revelation about a separate league's loser penalty involving women's clothing, a public golf course, and a beer-shotgunning stipulation

The panel tackles the underlying issue plaguing the college game: money. They argue that the entire structure of college football is now overwhelmingly "playoff-driven," causing the conference championship games to lose their significance. Winning a conference used to be a huge deal, but now teams like Notre Dame feel that if they aren't in the CFP, the season is effectively "done," and they're shutting down.

This discussion leads to a sharp condemnation of Notre Dame's decision to sit out its bowl game, which the hosts call "the worst sportsmanship". They emphasize that this move sends a terrible message and deprives younger players and fans of a chance at postseason play. One host predicts that all this hand-wringing will eventually lead the NCAA to create a completely separate playoff for the Group of Five schools, effectively formalizing a "P4 playoff" to quiet the ongoing controversy.

Lane Kiffin's move to LSU is the main financial story of the week, with the hosts confirming he signed a $91 million, seven-year contract at $13 million annually, a figure usually reserved for coaches with national championships. While debating if Kiffin deserves the money, they generally agree LSU is a superior job with more resources and a massive 102,000-person stadium, making it the better choice for long-term success compared to Ole Miss's 60,000-person stadium. Pope points out Kiffin's departure was particularly messy because he leveraged his position and took several offensive staff members with him, effectively "decimating" the Ole Miss offense.

The most crucial detail of Kiffin's hiring saga is his refusal to accept the University of Florida's condition of having a general manager. Milk, initially disappointed in losing Kiffin, admits that hiring a GM is now a necessity, as the coach should be focused on beating opponents like LSU, not managing NIL, contracts, and the transfer portal, which is the GM's job. Bison argues that Kiffin's demand for full control over a program, therefore, makes him a "disaster" for the new era of college football.

Beyond the headlines, the guys get into the ridiculousness of the current NCAA calendar and take a vote on whether this level of coaching carousel chaos will finally force a change. Plus, it wouldn't be an episode without the picks! Don't miss the breakdown of the "Short Timers Bowl" featuring two teams whose coaches are leaving, the debate over whether Ohio State is actually any good, and all of the college football picks for the week. Grab your drink and settle in for a barn burner!

House kicks off the show with an absolute firestorm, still reeling from the Eagles' loss to the Cowboys. He brings Miami Heat coach Eric Spoelstra to the imaginary bar to teach Nick Sirianni a lesson in attention to detail, criticizing everything from the play-calling to the team's ability to beat itself. The rant is fueled by House's unique, on-court perspective of Spoelstra's intense, immediate adjustments during the Heat-Sixers game. The crew debates whether the Eagles' roster is truly superior to the surging Bears, and Milk doesn't hold back on the Buccaneers, calling for defensive coordinator Todd Bowles' job over "negligence" after Baker Mayfield re-injured himself. They cap the NFL talk by setting the odds for a wild set of Thanksgiving games, making their official Week 13 picks, and debating who the best team in the AFC actually is.

The conversation then speeds over to Formula 1, where the team is stunned by the hyper-technical drama surrounding a recent race. After Lando Norris pulled comfortably ahead in the Drivers' Championship, both McLaren cars were disqualified due to skid plates being worn "too thin by millimeters." The SMQBs can't help but wonder if the whole thing is "rigged" to keep the championship fight alive against the lurking Max Verstappen with only two races left. Finally, in college football, the crew looks at the potential American Conference Championship game between Tulane and a high-scoring North Texas team, and the inevitable carousel of SEC jobs (Florida, LSU, Ole Miss, Auburn) that will open up as everyone tracks Lane Kiffin's private jet.

The main event this week was the NFL, starting with a passionate take on the league's international push into places like Madrid, Brazil, and Australia. The crew agrees that while it's a win for the NFL brand, it's a "raw deal" for players due to the travel disrupting their prep and rhythm, leading to a call for increased player compensation and a complete end to Thursday Night Football (unless both teams are coming off a bye week). The discussion then turned to the Eagles, where defensive coordinator Vic Fangio is single-handedly "saving their season" with a masterful scheme, drawing comparisons to legendary DC Jim Johnson. However, the offense is a different story; while talented, the play-calling is critiqued as "ridiculous," and the team is dealing with the "massive loss" of Lane Johnson on the offensive line.

Elsewhere, the AFC playoff picture is described as "boring," with teams like the Steelers and Jaguars, and the Kansas City Chiefs' 5-5 record is raising eyebrows about whether they can even secure the 10 wins needed to make the postseason. In the NFC, the West is shaping up to be the most terrifying division, with the Rams, Seahawks, and 49ers all looking like teams you "would not want to get anywhere near" in the playoffs. Ultimately, the consensus prediction for this year is that defense will win the championship, favoring teams like the Broncos, Rams, and Eagles. The episode wraps up the NFL segment with a breakdown of the Plaxico betting picks, where House is leading at 9-21.

An intriguing discussion about the Group of Five team getting the 12th playoff seed pits the American Conference (AAC) against the Sun Belt, specifically setting up a potential winner-take-all matchup between Tulane and North Texas for that coveted spot, although James Madison is also in the running. Before diving into the gridiron, the episode also touches on the NBA, celebrating Cade Cunningham becoming the sixth active NBA player with a Nike shoe deal.

The latest SMQBs episode opened with a poignant and heartfelt tribute to "The Hen," Laura, Rooster's wife. The crew shared personal stories that celebrated her genuine kindness, her ability to make everyone feel special, and her spirit as a dedicated Commanders and F1 fan, making it a difficult but necessary dedication to her memory. She will be missed.

Once into the sports talk, the World Series immediately took center stage, with the crew dissecting the razor-thin margins of Game Seven. The most memorable moment wasn't a highlight-reel catch or home run, but the infamous "deciding gaffe" by IKF, the Blue Jays runner on third base. His minimal lead led to him being thrown out at the plate "by a millimeter" to end a scoring threat, a blunder the panel noted was the critical error that ultimately decided the championship.

The drama in the NBA, with House bringing up Victor Wembanyama for his "Bring Him to the Bar" pick. The discussion centered on the rookie's astonishing all-around production, particularly his ability to impact the game from inside the paint, beyond the arc, and on the defensive end. The guys agreed that his historic start suggests a talent level that could eventually eclipse many of the league's all-time greats.

To hear the full tributes, the complete sports debates, and all the Plaxico picks, be sure to listen to SMQBs Episode 240!