A powerful Thanksgiving episode on SportsIQ.
Larry talks with three guests whose stories shine a light on what happens beyond the scoreboard.

• Craig Swoope — Former Illinois All-American and Buccaneer opens up about life after football, chronic pain, depression, and possible CTE symptoms. An unfiltered look at the emotional and physical toll the game leaves behind.

• Trevor Rhuland — Former Notre Dame lineman shares his battle with a severe eating disorder after his career ended, the moment he hit rock bottom, and how he rebuilt his health and his life. A rare and important conversation about mental health in sports.

• Jeff Hiser — Founder of Polaris Student Athlete Consulting breaks down the NIL landscape, what it means for the majority of athletes, and how to use NIL as a launchpad for life after college.

Plus Thanksgiving football, top college hoops matchups, and memories from the holiday.

On today’s SportsIQ with Larry Smith, we roll into Thanksgiving week with a packed slate across the sports world — from NBA contenders flexing early-season muscle to seismic moves in college football.

Larry opens the show with programming notes for the holiday week before diving deep into the latest College Football Playoff rankings, where Ole Miss tumbles, Michigan lurks, and chaos is brewing entering rivalry weekend.

We’re joined by Ryan Stano (Heavy.com) to break down Nikola Jokić’s ridiculous dominance, Denver’s improved identity, and why the Nuggets look even more dangerous this season despite injuries and personnel changes. Ryan also weighs in on surprise teams across the league including the Lakers and the surging Raptors.

Next, Matt Perkins (Believe in Badgers Podcast) joins the show to unpack Wisconsin football’s most complete performance of the season — a throwback defensive clinic and revitalized energy behind true freshman QB Carter Smith. Matt also previews Badgers basketball, including what Greg Gard’s group must learn from their BYU loss.

Then, Damien Sodelett (Roanoke Times) steps in to explain exactly how Virginia Tech landed James Franklin. From an aggressive search committee to a massive financial investment and a recruiting reboot already underway, Damian details why the Hokies acted early, why Franklin said yes, and why tech fans believe this can spark a fast rebuild.

Finally, producer Tony jumps back in to analyze the CFP’s 12-team puzzle — who controls their destiny, who needs chaos, and why two Group of Five teams will never make the field, no matter how loud the message boards get.

• CFP Rankings Breakdown: Ole Miss slips, Michigan rises, chaos scenarios

• Why the committee is watching Lane Kiffin’s situation closely

• NBA: Jokic’s triple-double machine & Denver’s renewed identity

• Lakers’ surprising early success & Austin Reaves’ breakout

• Toronto’s stunning run — and how long it can last

• Wisconsin football’s best win under Luke Fickell

• True freshmen energizing Badgers defense and offense

• Badger hoops: BYU loss takeaways & Big Ten opener ahead

• Inside Virginia Tech’s coaching search: How James Franklin became the guy

• Why VT’s massive financial investment changed everything

• Tony’s CFP “tea-leaf reading”: BYU, Miami, Alabama, Michigan & Notre Dame

• Why the Group of Five will never get two playoff bids

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We deliver a loaded Tuesday show with three big guests and three massive storylines shaping the sports week ahead.

First, we break down Ohio State vs. Michigan with Stefan Krajisnik of Cleveland.com, who explains why this matchup feels like a must-win for both fanbases — despite the playoff math saying otherwise. We dig into Ryan Day’s revamped approach to rivalry week, the psychology behind Ohio State’s recent losses, the evolution of the Michigan roster, and what the Buckeyes must do Saturday at the Big House to finally shake the monkey off their back.

Then we shift to the Big 12 where BYU sits squarely in the playoff conversation. Darnell Dickson of the Provo Daily Herald joins us to lay out the Cougars’ path and the uncomfortable truth: even at 11–2, BYU could become that team left out. We talk schedule strength, tiebreak chaos, what the committee gets wrong about BYU’s style, and why Kalani Sitake’s program continues to overachieve in Year 1 in the conference.

Finally, we hit the NBA hardwood with Coty M. Davis of the Detroit News, who checks in from the airport as the red-hot Pistons ride their 13-game winning streak, tying a franchise record. Coty details the culture shift under Trajan Langdon and J.B. Bickerstaff, Cade Cunningham’s rising superstardom, Jalen Duren’s leap, and why this team isn’t just hot — they’re hungry.

We close with producer Tony’s NFL roundup, where the Browns’ elite defense continues to dominate, the Ravens look dangerous again, and the NFC South… still exists. And of course, today’s Moment of Awe honors the broadcasting magic of Pat Summerall and John Madden, who first teamed up on this date back in 1979.

• The mental & historical weight of Ohio State–Michigan

• Ryan Day’s revamped rivalry-week philosophy

• The Connor Stalions cloud and its lingering effects

• Why BYU could win 11 games and still miss the Playoff

• How the Big 12’s structure complicates résumé evaluations

• Detroit Pistons: confidence, stability & culture

• J.B. Bickerstaff’s journey and impact

• Cade Cunningham’s calm dominance

• Producer Tony’s NFL takeaways: Browns, Ravens, Cowboys, NFC South

• Moment of Awe: Summerall & Madden’s first broadcast together (1979)