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Mitchell Paige on Indiana Football vs. Ohio State, the College Football Playoff, & more
Nov 28, 2024
From Monday's show:
Mitchell Paige talks about Indiana's chances against Ohio State, the College Football Playoff, and more. #iufb
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0:00
joining us now Mr Mitchell pagee but
0:02
he's not from his usual place of
0:05
dwelling he's also not in his vehicle
0:07
either he is joining us from the
0:10
friendly confines of of Arizona I don't
0:13
know what town you're in or what city
0:14
you're in but I do know you're out in
0:17
that particular West Coast State welcome
0:19
in to in touch with Indiana Sports my
0:20
friend yeah happy to be here it's nice
0:23
to have a little bye uh I'm in Scottdale
0:25
I'm playing in a golf tournament this
0:27
week so IU schedule
0:30
lined up for them lined up for me as
0:32
well to be able to be out here and not
0:34
have to miss anything I like I can't
0:36
really tell what kind of building you're
0:38
at but it looks very tranquil kind of
0:41
like a little Oasis I don't know why I'm
0:42
getting that vibe from where you're
0:44
sitting but I can kind of tell it's
0:46
pretty nice yeah we it's uh it's my
0:48
partner for the tournament it's his
0:50
birthday tomorrow so we got a little
0:52
nicer house got a little Turf area we're
0:54
in Arizona so there's desert there not
0:56
going to be no grass but little Turf
0:58
area for cor hole or whatever got a nice
1:01
pool got a hot tub it's nice living it
1:04
up enjoying the by we in style we're
1:07
trying we're absolutely trying I didn't
1:10
like what happened uh in the college
1:11
football World yesterday I I'm gonna
1:13
lead right into it because of the
1:16
Georgia result specifically I just think
1:18
there's a lot of with Indiana not
1:21
playing it's like out of sight out of
1:24
mind you get all these people that think
1:28
the SEC is so good even though they just
1:30
beat each other they don't play anyone
1:33
and they beat up on Mercer every year uh
1:36
but they have this reputation that
1:37
they've earned over the past couple
1:39
years that they're going to be uh kind
1:41
of cream of the crop conference
1:43
and I don't know if you're getting beat
1:46
a bunch of
1:47
times it's hard for me to to
1:50
justify putting you above a team that
1:53
has gotten beat zero times well I'll say
1:55
this I don't particularly think that
1:58
Georgia is going to to jump into Indiana
2:00
after their win over Tennessee
2:01
especially when you consider the fact
2:03
that Tennessee was already considered
2:06
one spot lower than Indiana in last
2:09
week's college football playoff ranking
2:11
so it wouldn't surprise me if maybe you
2:13
see them switch spots potentially or at
2:16
least you know inch them up a little bit
2:18
closer but I don't think any two- lost
2:21
team at this point in the season is
2:23
going to jump an unbeaten team from a
2:25
power four conference agree and I don't
2:28
think it'll happen this week but
2:30
because of the the things that I just
2:32
mentioned the the margin for error for
2:36
Indiana got almost infinitely smaller um
2:41
I'm kind of starting to believe that
2:43
Indiana might have to win uh for the
2:46
committee to
2:47
not put five or six SEC
2:50
teams in the 12 team playoff and I don't
2:53
know why I feel like that I I just I do
2:56
I I I think the game at least has to be
2:58
ultra competitive there's no handle
3:02
business lose by 10 and still make it in
3:05
my for whatever reason that's what I
3:07
feel in my heart so you have to and I
3:09
don't know why I said that with a little
3:10
southern accent in my heart but um I I
3:14
think that
3:16
it's Oregon Oregon get it was such a
3:20
funny like four hours because you're
3:22
watching Oregon
3:24
and they should have lost they played
3:27
terrible if Wisconsin had a pulse on
3:30
offense they go down and at least get a
3:33
field goal tie the game and they just
3:35
couldn't do it couldn't get out of their
3:36
own way you're feeling like holy crap
3:37
we're gonna make the big 10
3:39
Championship with
3:41
ease and then now you're sitting here
3:44
Oregon pulls it out you got a Georgia
3:47
win kind of a dominant win over
3:49
Tennessee who people are think are
3:50
pretty good finally Carson Beck throws
3:53
it to his own team for the first time in
3:54
six weeks and now you start getting the
3:58
the SEC so good I I ju it just worries
4:01
me about the perception of a committee
4:04
that's shown a lot of those biases in
4:06
the past yeah and and and again the the
4:09
committee does shift around every year I
4:11
think there are some that shuffle in out
4:13
of the committee and there's some that
4:15
return and that type of that that type
4:17
of stuff so you do get some fresh faces
4:19
and voices and I do think it does help
4:22
that the the Big 10 has been seen at
4:25
least when it comes to the you know the
4:27
top teams of the conference really the
4:29
the top four they do respect all four of
4:32
them and I'm including Indiana and all
4:34
this I know Indiana is not a brand but I
4:36
mean Indiana or excuse me the Big 10 has
4:39
the four highest ranked teams from many
4:41
conference now where things get a little
4:43
bit fishy is the fact that the rest of
4:46
the conference if we're being honest is
4:47
pretty mid I mean who who's who's below
4:51
Indiana when it comes to who's the fifth
4:53
best team is it Illinois is it Iowa is
4:55
it probably Iowa and
4:58
Iowa is up and down they've had some
5:00
good games some bad games U maybe
5:03
Wisconsin Wisconsin that's true I mean
5:05
Wisconsin I mean their quarterback is
5:07
kind of stinky at least he played stinky
5:09
at the end of the game last night but I
5:12
know that's that's not the quarterback
5:13
that they've been going with all season
5:15
long he's their backup but yeah I mean I
5:17
had a friend of mine who is a Wisconsin
5:19
fan and I can't remember if it was him
5:22
or if this was somebody on Twitter but
5:23
he had mentioned that he thinks that
5:25
Wisconsin's quarterback would be a good
5:27
FCS QB he has no business being power
5:30
four level quarterback and maybe you
5:31
disagree with that we're not here to you
5:33
know evaluate Wisconsin football yeah
5:36
but are you aware of what would have
5:37
changed when it comes to the Big 10 Race
5:40
if Oregon would have lo I mean I know
5:42
that there's a scenario where you would
5:43
have had 11-1 Oregon 11 And1 Penn State
5:47
I guess 11- one Ohio State Anon would
5:49
you have potentially had a four-way tie
5:51
at 11- one if Oregon lost last night
5:55
yeah I mean I don't know it it just got
5:58
more interesting yeah I think Oregon
6:00
kind of has
6:02
the the inside track I'm not really sure
6:06
what it really
6:07
changed when you talk about the actual
6:10
tiebreakers themselves but as it stands
6:13
Oregon kind of has that spot locked up
6:16
and the other three teams are kind of
6:17
battling right Indiana's got to go to
6:19
Ohio State and win to lock that spot up
6:23
as because of the tiebreakers currently
6:26
um and I just think it added more
6:28
confusion
6:30
maybe Indiana was still on the outside
6:31
looking in if they all were for or all
6:33
were 11 and one but it added more
6:38
confusion gives you a little more hope
6:39
and I think what the big thing would
6:41
have been is Oregon may have dropped a
6:43
little maybe to like six and Indiana
6:46
moves up to four or five yeah and that
6:48
makes the drop let's I I believe
6:52
Indiana's gonna go to Ohio State and win
6:53
and that's going to fix all of this then
6:55
we don't have to talk about anything now
6:57
we're all of a sudden talking about a
6:58
first round Buy
7:00
instead of just making it but and I'm
7:02
gonna say this too to to cut you off for
7:05
a second I think we've got at least for
7:07
me I've gotten to the point to where and
7:10
and Mitchell you know that I'm not the
7:12
kind of person that argues back and
7:13
forth with people on Twitter well a
7:16
buddy of mine so the other I guess
7:19
earlier tonight whenever I was before we
7:21
started recording this I saw a a tweet
7:24
put up and it was it was a tweet that
7:25
had a video of Kirby Smart basically
7:28
talking about why the SC is so good you
7:30
may or may not have seen him make it's
7:32
the classic crap yeah and so I quote
7:35
tweeted with that saying something along
7:37
the lines of it'd be nice if the SEC
7:39
played nine conference game something
7:41
like that and a buddy of mine who is a
7:42
Kentucky fan uh decided to rebuttal and
7:45
again I wasn't even talking about
7:47
Kentucky I was just talking about the
7:48
SEC in general but seeing his response
7:52
and basically just whining because his
7:54
Kentucky team is not goodness to play in
7:56
a difficult SEC Conference SEC teams
7:59
love to talk about how Mighty the
8:01
conference is until and and it's not
8:04
necessarily until they're not doing good
8:06
but they love to resort to bitching
8:09
about not being as successful as they
8:11
are because they're in a quote unquote
8:14
difficult league and I'm not trying to
8:15
say that it's not difficult I'm just
8:17
tired of that being the same narrative
8:18
for teams that aren't having the level
8:20
of success that they want to have yeah
8:23
it's unlike really anything else in
8:25
sports and I I kind of wish that the Big
8:27
10 was more like this it's like we're
8:30
all allowed to fight each other but it's
8:32
like your brother like I'm allowed to
8:33
beat him up but as soon as someone else
8:35
tries to beat him up then we all come to
8:38
rescue him right like it doesn't matter
8:40
if you're talking
8:41
about any team in the pick any team
8:44
Florida Georgia Missouri whoever it
8:47
is they're allowed to fights amongst
8:49
themselves but as soon as someone set
8:50
from Indiana says wait we have zero
8:52
losses those teams have two
8:55
losses shouldn't wins count for
8:57
something and then it's all about the
8:59
SEC and it's the same thing as like your
9:03
brother on the playground saying
9:06
something whatever he says and then the
9:08
all of his other brothers come and
9:10
protect him it's I wish that the Big 10
9:12
was more like that I think that you have
9:14
to be
9:16
especially uh as college football
9:20
continues to evolve they're going to
9:22
have to take on some of that mindset of
9:25
we protect each other because it's going
9:27
to be
9:29
kind of a revolving door as you start to
9:32
see the conferences get more power the
9:34
big 10's going to have to keep up with
9:35
the SEC the secc already does that for
9:38
each other they've got a lot of power
9:41
and I I think I'm
9:43
worried that that's going to be on
9:47
display as we one thing I would love to
9:49
see is when we get to this 12 team
9:51
playoff no matter how many SEC teams get
9:54
in or you know what position seating
9:57
they end up getting I would love to see
9:58
all of them just
9:59
lose out and that I think at that point
10:02
you can kind of shift the conversation
10:04
to well oh yeah the sec's a good
10:07
conference but maybe they're not as
10:09
unbeatable as they've been in the past
10:12
with that you know I mean that's
10:13
probably if you're not an SEC fan that's
10:16
probably best case scenario because
10:18
without that you're never going to
10:19
change that narrative I feel like yeah
10:21
it's a good conference they've had the
10:23
best teams in the country however many
10:25
years out of however many years it feels
10:27
like they've just dominated college
10:29
football for the last 10 years um but it
10:32
wasn't that way before that and it is
10:36
funny I do watch those games hoping both
10:38
teams will
10:39
lose last thing uh I want to mention
10:42
before we wrap this up because I know
10:44
that this is a different scenario for
10:46
for this week as you know where you're
10:48
at and coming off we're on bye we're
10:50
we're gonna turn our Focus to the
10:53
Buckeyes what I want to talk little
10:55
Buckeyes after that and that's what I
10:57
want to do here so okay if Indiana's
10:59
going to win Saturday I'm sure there's a
11:00
number of things that have to go right
11:02
but what's the one thing that you want
11:04
to see from Indiana to have success
11:06
against Ohio State in the shoe this
11:08
weekend yeah I I think it's and this is
11:11
so cliche but if you're gonna compete at
11:14
the level that I think Indiana is
11:16
capable of competing and wants to
11:18
compete at you're gonna have to be good
11:21
on the offensive and defensive line um
11:23
Ohio
11:24
state has struggled especially
11:27
offensively blocking people Indiana's
11:30
got one of the most defensive pass or
11:31
disruptive pass rushes in the country
11:34
based on pure statistics it's you can't
11:36
argue it you can't refute it um and
11:39
they're gonna have to cause a lot of
11:40
Havoc you got I think will Howard is
11:41
Curtis rores in the way that I don't
11:44
think he's the most talented guy I don't
11:46
his numbers aren't quite as good but
11:47
they're still solid uh he controls the
11:50
game he may he's got athletes all over
11:53
the field and he doesn't have to go out
11:56
and win the game in some of the ways
11:58
that old Ohio State quarterbacks would
11:59
go out and do right uh so it's a little
12:01
bit different style of offense but if
12:04
you can disrupt a guy like that I mean
12:06
think about what Michigan did to Indiana
12:08
Indiana was a better team so they found
12:10
a way to win but when you disrupt the
12:14
timing especially when you're as
12:16
explosive as you are on the outside
12:19
those routes take a long time to develop
12:20
so if you can create pressure get them
12:23
off their timing and get them on kind of
12:25
the back foot that creates a lot of
12:27
plays for your pass rush and if you can
12:30
stay disciplined which they've done all
12:33
year in the secondary you create
12:35
pressure up front it creates
12:36
opportunities in the back so um you're
12:38
you're gonna have to really control the
12:40
line of scrimmage especially on defense
12:42
and on offense you you've got to play
12:47
discipline drop the ball a bunch against
12:49
Michigan Drive killing drops you're
12:51
gonna have to make those plays this is
12:54
this is a real deal ball team now and
12:56
you have to if you're gonna make plays
12:59
or if you're going to say like we're
13:01
talking we're talking about SEC bias Big
13:03
10 if you're going to talk the talk this
13:06
is the time to really walk the walk
13:07
because that's a national championship
13:09
caliber team that sits in Columbus uh
13:12
and if you're gonna win a game like that
13:14
you got to go punch him right in the
13:15
face immediately this isn't going to be
13:17
a four quarter slog like it was against
13:20
Michigan you can't play that game when
13:22
they have that much talent not that
13:23
Indiana doesn't have the same talent but
13:26
in their building game day big noon
13:28
kickoff 110 10,000
13:30
people you got to get after them
13:32
early and punch them hard and that you
13:36
kind of set the in the I mean the
13:38
pressure is already on Ohio State
13:39
because they have to win this game they
13:41
lose their out the playoff probably I
13:44
don't know about out of the playoff but
13:45
definitely out of the Big 10
13:46
Championship out of the Big 10
13:48
championship and probably having to go
13:50
to somebody now is that a problem who
13:52
knows but
13:55
it their kind of aspirations for where
13:58
they want to go kind of rely on this and
14:02
Indiana's just played free all year the
14:04
pressure definitely is in their locker
14:06
room love to go out and see them play
14:08
free you know you have two weeks to
14:10
prepare I'm sure they'll come up with a
14:12
good plan and hopefully it starts fast
14:15
one thing that was a little bit alarming
14:17
at points for Indiana last or two I
14:19
guess it was a weekend whenever it was
14:20
when they played Michigan was the
14:23
offensive line and of course they had
14:24
the injury I can't remember which
14:26
offensive lineman it was that got hurt
14:27
but they they tried to break in somebody
14:29
knew and you really didn't see kind of
14:32
the growing paints of that until the
14:34
second half when Michigan kind of
14:35
realized that they had the talent
14:37
Advantage at that point and you know
14:39
they were trying to make their comeback
14:40
and that type of stuff do you think that
14:42
could potentially be another issue
14:44
against you know it team that's probably
14:45
going to have a similar Talent level to
14:47
Michigan yeah I'm not sure that they
14:49
have a similar Talent level I think
14:50
they're good Michigan's got one of the
14:52
best pass rushes they stink literally
14:56
everywhere else but their pass rush is
14:59
is Elite they showed it it's similar to
15:03
the guys they had last I mean these are
15:05
guys now and yeah you're gonna have
15:08
problems that's just the way it is when
15:10
you have that much talent on the other
15:12
side of the ball you're gonna have
15:13
problems now do I think Ohio state is as
15:15
disruptive as those guys no but they're
15:17
going to be close so yeah you're gonna
15:19
have to be very
15:21
sound it's going to be loud pre- snap
15:24
penalties when you talk about
15:27
discipline can't start first and 15 have
15:29
a second and eight make it second and
15:32
13 you can't have silly nonsensical
15:36
penalties you start doing that you're
15:37
playing from behind and Ohio State loves
15:40
that game um I'm excited to see it man
15:43
it's it's gonna have to be the most
15:45
disciplined performance you don't have
15:47
to do anything
15:48
special You Got Talent you've made the
15:51
plays you've shown you're
15:54
capable but maintaining an elite level
15:58
of discipline is what separates the best
16:01
teams in the country versus the worst
16:03
you just can't win when you have preent
16:05
penalties and drop balls and don't
16:07
maintain Gap responsibility on the D
16:09
line and we'll find out later not I was
16:12
to say later this week but after next
16:14
weekend whether or not Indiana truly
16:16
belongs with the elite of the elite
16:19
we've thought so pretty much all year
16:20
long I'm sure Mitchell it does seem like
16:22
you had the inkling before that I did I
16:24
can absolutely admit that because I
16:26
remember you were you were pulling the
16:27
fbii prediction on me before I even had
16:30
a chance to really kind of buy into that
16:32
and at that point I don't think
16:34
everybody thought it was complete
16:36
nonsense but I mean when it was that
16:39
early in the season because I believe it
16:40
was pretty much after the UCLA win when
16:43
those metrics really started to kind of
16:46
realize what Indiana could potentially
16:49
have and I mean to the fp's credit
16:52
however that formula works I mean
16:54
they've been pretty much right on the
16:56
money ever since so uh and props you for
17:01
you you know buying into that as quickly
17:04
as you did and you know again I can't
17:07
believe we're here and again I know
17:08
sometimes I know we talk about this a
17:09
lot like the pinch me type of moments
17:11
like Indiana is really in this position
17:12
I'm excited that they're going to be
17:14
playing a meaningful football game on
17:16
the road against a blue blood football
17:18
program with a chance to solidify your
17:20
college football playoff appearance
17:22
you'll you'll do that for sure if you
17:23
win and then potentially solidify I mean
17:27
all but solidify your big Championship
17:29
Game appearance because you do
17:30
technically have to take care of Purdue
17:32
I would say to to guarantee that but
17:35
that's we'll get there after get there
17:38
when we get there yeah yeah you go out
17:40
get you go out in Beetle House State in
17:42
their
17:42
building now things start to really
17:44
change and I I think it's a possibility
17:46
man I can't wait for next week it's h
17:49
State week hate week let's go will you
17:51
be there will you I remember you talked
17:53
before will you be in Columbus no I
17:55
needed a night game okay I needed a
17:58
night game so I'll still be uh traveling
18:00
I won't be in the air so I'll be able to
18:02
watch it on the ground but I'm not going
18:04
to be able to make it sucks Mitchell
18:05
pige I appreciate your time as always
18:07
good luck at the bar stool classic thank
18:10
you sir we're gonna try to go win it
18:12
we'll see go win it and we'll hopefully
18:14
we'll have two good wins to talk about
18:15
next Monday
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