Todd Blackledge breaks down the CFB Playoffs and the Top QBs in the Draft | The Zach Gelb Show

when we get to the college football playoff a big topic of conversation with Jim Harbaugh is there's no extension yet it was reported for a while that they were going to get it done they asked him about the NFL he basically gave a bunch of no answers one way or the other I think this is it for Harbaugh Michigan how about yourself yeah I don't know I mean I earlier in the year I thought for sure he was probably gonna look to move on um but but I don't know at this point I mean obviously Michigan is making a really strong effort to keep him they're pleased with what he's done uh controversy aside through this season um he has done a great job and you know this team over the last three years has been as good as any in college football and and I think this year's team is is the best that he's had when you look at this matchup going up against Alabama if you had to make the case why Michigan can win this game how do you kind of formulate that argument well I think they're a team that is a very close-knit team they they play for one another they're a very unselfish team and they're very talented you know I remember earlier in the year talking to a couple NFL people and they said they thought this team had maybe 17 15 to 17 draftable guys I mean that's that's a talented roster that's the kind of roster are used to seeing an Alabama have or a Georgia have so I think they're very talented I think the biggest case for Michigan is if JJ McCarthy plays the way he's capable playing if he plays a great game a Michigan's going to be tough to be and that's the thing last year up against TCU I didn't think the staff utilized his legs enough in the first half I they you know why not at this point like you got to let JJ McCarthy cook and I think the mobility of McCarthy will be the difference in this game if Michigan finds a way to win or not if they allow him to be the mobile quarterback that he could be yeah I think he's gonna have to I mean you know Alabama defensively is very good they've gotten better all through the year uh they're not going going to allow somebody to just sit in the pocket and be comfortable they're going to come after him and and so I think his Mobility very much like Jaylen milro and his ability uh to extend plays and move in the pocket uh that's going to be a big factor in this game for both teams and then you saw it a little bit in the Ohio State game as Todd blackl joins us they went to that other quarterback the backup Alex orgy to start the second half and he gave them a little jolt of energy running the football as well Harbaugh in these big games you've seen him have some trick plays I know doesn't have a completion this entire year but I I feel like they're going to use Alex orgy a little bit in that second half to try to catch Alabama off guard well they might but certainly Alabama will be prepared for that they'll be prepared for him to run the football if he comes in I think if they do play him I think that they should let him try to throw the football because that would be you know the the thing maybe Alabama isn't as much ready for but they'll be ready for him running the football certainly when you look at Alabama it's remarkable like after the Texas game and that was all the way back in in week two Todd blackl everyone jumped off them because in this sport if you have two losses you're cooked you're not getting into a four team college football playoff and I thought even I'll admit it I thought it was inevitable they would have another loss and milro even after getting bench has just improved each and every week I know they had that scare up against alurn but just when people start to doubt Nick Sabin he he finds a way to show show everyone who's the best coach yeah I mean I I think this may have been his F of a coaching job that he's done in his time at Alabama because you mentioned the Texas game but even the week after that against South Florida it was an ugly win and they had a quarterback issue they weren't sure who their guy was G to be and after that point Nick said okay we're gonna go with Jaylen milro we're gonna stick with him we're g to grow with him and you know as he got better and more confident more comfortable their team got better and I really think that that's what you saw and and certainly the last regular season game against Auburn they were kind of lucky you know to hit that play on 31 yards they needed on fourth down but they found a way and then they were good against Georgia and the SEC Championship game so I think this is a team that that got better as the year went on and again I think Nick sain did a wonderful job coaching this group of players revisiting the four teams that got in Michigan Washington Texas and Alabama do you think the committee got it right I do uh I really do and I know it really stinks for Florida State it was unprecedented for an undefeated conference Champion to not get in uh but with Jordan Travis being hurt I just think that had to weigh into the factor there were some great quarterback play all through the season and they certainly weren't the same team without him and it showed up in the game against Florida it showed up in the ACC Championship game uh against Louisville and and so I I do think they got it right and unfortunately for Florida now or Florida State you know they're going into this game against Georgia without most of their weapons you know and so I don't think we're going to really see what Florida State's team was all about uh in this bowl game but uh but I do think they got it right I think that the committee's job was to pick the four best teams and not the four most deserving teams and by doing that I think they got it correct and I'll never fault a college athlete for skipping the bowl game uh you know if they're getting ready for the NFL draft or if they're entering the transfer portal but that was the one team that I really wanted to see play at full strength even though they wouldn't have Jordan Travis because of the injury to just see okay Florida State can you beat Georgia uh that was one of the bowl games where now a lot of times Todd blackl we really only care about the semi-final National Championship that was the one I was most looking forward to but now there's really not a lot to look forward to there yeah and it'll be interesting to see just how Georgia approaches it and plays you know I mean this is a team that uh you know was tough for Florida State certainly but here's the Georgia team that was one or two all year and undfeated and they go all the way out so uh I think that they have a great football team I was very impressed with how Carson Beck played and and really the other thing to think about with Georgia is you know Mike Bobo took over for Todd monin who took the job of the Ravens and and obviously he's doing a great job as the offensive coordinator for Lamar Jackson in that offense in Baltimore and Mike Bobo did an excellent job with a new quarterback in Carson Beck and and uh and so I I'm excited to see what Georgia looks like in their final game of the season could you imagine if Florida State beats Georgia like could we have a UCF case on our hand where uh we start to have Florida state claim that they're the national champs being undefeated uh you know there might be some noise it can't happen but um but I'll be very very surprised if if Florida State beats Georgia I think they'll hang with them for a while but I think ultimately uh Georgia will be will prove to be a stronger football team all right get into the other game Texas and in Washington and I see Washington's a 4 and a half fivepoint Underdog they were a 9 and 1 Half Point Underdog up against Oregon before the Pack 12 championship game I love what kayin dor has done with this program in two years only having two losses it's crazy though I still feel like they don't get the respect that they're deserving of this season well I don't know I mean I think a lot of people that watch football have given them a lot of respect I I think that what they've done is impressive I think the Pack 12 was outstanding this year and their final year the Oregon team that they beat twice is a really really good football team so uh I I think that they deserve to be there um and when I look at this matchup with Texas they're very very similar when it comes to offensive skill power and POS and you know positions where I think Texas has a slight Edge is I think they're better in the trenches on the defensive line on the offensive line and and in games like this having covered the college football playoff every year except this year when you get to this level on this point the teams that win the line of scrimmage typically are the teams that win the game and so I think Texas is a little better at the line of scrimmage but Washington has had a magical season you know much like Michigan had a magical season and great chemistry and belief in each other um you know what Michael penck Jr and that offense has done and what that team has done uh you you can't uh negate that they they are going to go into that game believing they're the best team in the country maybe you have a different opinion on this than I do but it feels like Texas and Washington is going to be a high-scoring affair like maybe something 34 31 if not even north of that I I think it will be more highs scoring than potentially the other game I I just think that you know those two teams are driven by offense and their ability to to make big plays explosive plays in both the Run game and the pass game and and so I think both defenses will have their hands full in that one and you also have Washington now going into a new conference after this year the Big 10 and Texas going into the SEC do you think those programs we all know the brand of Texas we know who sarc is as a coach we know what Ken dbor has done but can both of those schools succeed in their new conference which is going to be a bigger challenge I think so I mean obviously recruiting you know is is Paramount and I think both teams are recruiting at a high level right now and I think you know I'm excited working for NBC and the Big 10 for those four teams to come in to our league next year because not only are they big Brands uh and successful teams but they bring a style of offense that the Big 10 is not used to seeing on a weekly basis the Big 10 is a defense-- driven conference and I think when you look at Oregon and Washington and UCLA and USC coming into the league uh they're going to challenge some of those defenses with a different brand of offense so I think it's gonna be exciting and you know Texas and Oklahoma moving to the SEC uh again I think their rosters are better right now and more suitable to go in into that conference than they were maybe a couple years ago so I think they'll be able to compete as well who do you think by the way will be a better Pro quarterback uh Caleb Williams or Drake may you know I I think they both have a chance to be very successful I really do they're different um you know Drake May is athletic but he doesn't make the kind of wild plays you know with his legs that Caleb Williams does and the arm slots and all of that I think it a lot of it depends on where they go what they're surrounded by uh and and just how they're coached and how they're brought along you know I live here in Charlotte and Bryce young I I think Bryce young is a great quarterback but it has been a struggle for him in year one and a lot of that is not his doing it's what's around him it's how he's protected uh the weapons on the outside so a lot of that you know in terms of projecting Caleb and Drake is going to have to do with you know things outside of their control and I know Justin Fields right now is with the Chicago Bears there's a good chance that they're gonna have the number one overall pick from that Bryce Young trade with the Panthers that you just uh brought up I would not have said this a few weeks ago but I'm kind of of the mindset now Todd blackl that they should keep Justin fields and and they should find the way to go draft Marvin Harrison Jr because if you could about Fields with Marvin Harrison Jr and DJ Moore man that that's setting up fields to maybe reach his potential in Chicago yeah I think Justin Fields has shown something here uh of late and I think that you know I think he maybe has has garnered that kind of respect with Chicago and look Marvin Harrison Jr I've covered him for a couple years he's the most NFL ready guy going into the draft I I think player in the draft Yeah I think he's ready to be a star from day one he has everything you want in a wide receiver and so uh I I could certainly see that being the case alrighty let's get a prediction or two out of you who wins Michigan Alabama who wins Texas Washington what are you rolling with yeah I'm gonna go I'm gonna go with Michigan uh in that game and I'm going to go because of J JJ McCarthy I just I'm a big fan of his I think that he will play an outstanding football game and manage uh the pressure that Alabama's going to bring at them um I also like Blake km I think he's a great football player and and uh you know so I I think they will find a way and then in the other game I'm gonna go with Texas I just think that I think that that Quinn ERS and and I again I think it's because of the strength in the trenches that will win the day for Texas when it's all said and done and you know you never want to see an injury happen obviously but now with Malik Murphy transferred over to Duke yeah do you think Arch Manning at all plays a like if he's on the field playing You' probably think it's because of injury but just to Sark maybe throw him in there for for a play or two and and maybe have something dial up that Kaylin dor wasn't expecting I I don't know if he will simply because when you talk about Quinn yers and Arch Manning they're they're the same guy right it's the same offense so he's not going to come in and throw a kind of a curveball like orgy would for Michigan so if you put him in you're going to be expecting the same offense the same plays being called for either guy he's Todd blackl did a great job all throughout the year has been covering college football obviously you seen him on TV for years uh but really enjoyed the booth of Noah eagle and Todd blackl all throughout the year on NBC Todd appreciate the time happy New Year to you and your family thanks Zach Happy New Year to you as well