It’s a packed Friday edition of Sports IQ with Larry Smith — four powerhouse interviews, coast-to-coast storylines, and a weekend slate loaded with playoff implications.

Larry kicks things off with Collin Gay of The Tuscaloosa News, breaking down Alabama’s resurgence under Kalen DeBoer. After an early loss to Florida State, the Tide have stormed back into the Top 10 — but an undefeated Missouri squad looms. Can Mizzou’s bruising run game and clock-control offense pull off the SEC’s biggest upset?

Then Callum McAndrew from the Columbia Daily Tribune joins to give the Missouri side of the story — how Eli Drinkwitz has turned the Tigers from “good” to “almost great,” and why Saturday might finally be their defining win.

Next, Eric Hansen of BlueandGold.com checks in from South Bend, where redshirt freshman QB CJ Carr is rewriting Notre Dame record books while the Irish defense finds its identity. With NC State in town and USC looming, Larry and Eric dissect how Notre Dame’s balance and leadership could carry them back to the playoff hunt.

Finally, Shawn Windsor of the Detroit Free Press jumps in from Seattle ahead of Game 5 between the Tigers and Mariners. With Tarik Skubal on the mound and a season on the line, Shawn explains how Detroit thrives when their backs are against the wall — plus, his incredible sports weekend itinerary that any fan would envy.

Larry wraps with a Moment of “Ah” — a heartfelt tribute to the late Sister Jean, the beloved Loyola Chicago chaplain who passed away at 106.

Topics Discussed:

• Alabama’s turnaround and Ty Simpson’s steady rise

• Missouri’s chance for a program-defining upset

• Notre Dame’s evolving identity behind CJ Carr

• NC State’s offensive threats and defensive struggles

• Tigers–Mariners Game 5 preview and Skubal’s redemption shot

• Tribute to Sister Jean and her legacy at Loyola Chicago

Guests:
🎙️ Collin Gay – The Tuscaloosa News
🎙️ Callum McAndrew – Columbia Daily Tribune
🎙️ Eric Hansen – BlueandGold.com
🎙️ Shawn Windsor – Detroit Free Press

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Larry Smith and producer Tony Cordaro bring another loaded edition of Sports IQ — a coast-to-coast look at the teams shaking up college football’s midseason picture.

First, Andrew Monaco, voice of the Texas A&M Aggies, joins Larry to break down the Aggies’ 5–1 start and the Mike Elko effect in College Station. From the Notre Dame win to SEC gauntlet talk, Andrew explains why this A&M team feels different — sharper, hungrier, and finally built to finish.

Then, producer Tony Cordaro shifts focus west with two powerhouse matchups:

• Zachary Neel (USA Today Oregon Beat Writer) previews #5 Oregon vs. #6 Indiana — where quarterbacks Dante Moore and Fernando Mendoza collide in what could be a playoff preview. Expect noise, defense, and coaching chess between Lanning and Cignetti.

• Shannon Griffith (Hoosier.com) gives the Indiana perspective, from Mendoza’s poise to the Hoosiers’ chance to stamp their name on the national scene.

Larry and Tony close by tackling the latest storylines:

• Bill Belichick’s UNC experiment already unraveling

• Big Ten’s quarterback boom — 4 of the top 5 passers in the country

• Alabama–Missouri and Ohio State–Illinois as major tests of identity

• A Moment of “Ah”: a $50 million donation to Stanford Athletics (cue Dr. Evil voice)

Topics Discussed:

• Why Texas A&M’s Mike Elko era feels sustainable

• The SEC’s next phase of identity and parity

• Oregon’s defensive evolution under Dan Lanning

• Indiana’s chance to prove they belong among Big Ten elites

• The most electric home-field advantages in college football

• Big 10 coaching chess: Cignetti vs. Lanning

• Stanford’s massive donor boost

Guest Links:
🎙️ Andrew Monaco – Voice of the Texas A&M Aggies
🎙️ Zachary Neel – USA Today Oregon Beat Writer
🎙️ Shannon Griffith – Lead Football Analyst, Hoosier.com

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Follow Larry Smith and Sports IQ for daily deep dives and interviews that cut through the scoreboard and get inside the storylines that shape college sports.

Larry Smith dives into a packed midweek edition of Sports IQ, where coincidence meets chaos — two guests named Matt Stevens join the show from opposite coasts to break down the wildest weekend in college football.

First, UCLA’s Matt Stevens relives the Bruins’ shocking 24.5-point underdog win over Penn State — a game that flipped their season overnight. He explains how interim coach Tim Skipper hit the reset button, why running the football was the key to everything, and how UCLA’s locker room found new life.

Then, Matt Stevens of IlliniGuys.com previews Illinois’s massive home test against #1 Ohio State, unpacking the rise of QB Luke Altmyer, the Big Ten’s sudden quarterback boom, and how Illinois’s defense plans to survive against the Buckeyes’ firepower.

Producer Tony jumps in to talk MLB playoffs — the Yankees clawing back, Toronto’s bullpen gamble, and Seattle’s long-awaited October surge — before Larry closes with a Moment of “Ah”: why the last undefeated NFL team never seems to win the Super Bowl.

Topics Discussed:

• UCLA’s miracle win and locker room culture shift

• Why Tim Skipper might be the Bruins’ next head coach

• Illinois’s confidence heading into Ohio State

• Luke Altmyer’s flawless season and Big Ten QB dominance

• Turnover “luck” vs. learned defense

• MLB playoff pitching strategy breakdown

• NFL “Moment of Ah”: The curse of the last unbeaten team

Guest Links:
🎙️ Matt Stevens – UCLA Football Radio
🎙️ Matt Stevens – IlliniGuys.com
📍 Kevin Noon – BuckeyeHuddle.com

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Follow Larry Smith and SportsIQ across all platforms — and don’t miss tomorrow’s episode for more inside access to the week’s smartest sports stories.