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)

It’s a packed Monday edition of Sports IQ with Larry Smith as we roll into Thanksgiving week with a full slate of NFL chaos, college football drama, NBA dominance, and elite women’s hoops. Hall of Fame writer Mike DeCourcy of The Sporting News, BTN, and FOX Sports joins us to break down early-season college basketball storylines — from heavyweight non-conference showdowns to roster chemistry, the transfer portal era, and whether Cinderella still has a future in March.

Larry also recaps a jam-packed NFL Sunday:
• Patrick Mahomes drags Kansas City back from a 20–9 deficit
• Dak Prescott breaks the Cowboys’ all-time passing record in a comeback win
• Hot streaks from New England and Chicago
• Rookie QB Shedeur Sanders wins in his NFL debut
• The Raiders fire OC Chip Kelly
• Updates on Bernie Kosar’s recovery and Trev Alberts’ new deal

Plus, Lulu Kesin of the Greenville News stops by to break down South Carolina women’s basketball, Dawn Staley’s impact, the Gamecocks’ unbeaten start, and what’s ahead during a pivotal Vegas week.

We close with today’s Moment of Awe:
Alex Ovechkin, at 40 years old, nets the 33rd hat trick of his career — becoming just the sixth player in NHL history to do it after turning 40. The legend keeps rewriting the record books.

• Chiefs’ comeback and Kansas City’s playoff pulse

• Dak Prescott’s milestone day and Cowboys resilience

• Bengals, Patriots, Bears, Ravens — who’s heating up

• Shedeur Sanders’ first NFL win

• Raiders part ways with Chip Kelly

• College football chaos: Oregon, Notre Dame, Georgia Tech, CFP jockeying

• Early-season college hoops with Mike DeCourcy

• Illinois’ international roster pipeline

• Transfer portal and the future of mid-major Cinderella runs

• South Carolina women’s basketball deep dive with Lulu Kesin

• Dawn Staley’s cultural reach and championship expectations

• Ovechkin’s historic 40+ hat trick

It’s a loaded Friday on SportsIQ with Larry Smith as we dive into the chaos, parity, and rising programs shaking up college sports.

First, Hondo Carpenter joins the show to break down why Michigan State basketball is playing some of the best ball in the country — and how Tom Izzo continues building elite teams by embracing brutal non-conference schedules, player development, and refusing to take shortcuts. Hondo also unpacks why parity has completely reshaped the NFL, the hidden value of coaches like Mike Tomlin and John Harbaugh, and why the league’s biggest threat… might be itself.

Then, Illinois legend Deon Thomas returns to talk about the Illini’s razor-thin loss to Alabama, the massive upside still ahead, and why this year’s international-heavy roster may be Brad Underwood’s most complete unit yet. From Petrovic’s flashes to Kovich’s scoring bursts, Dion lays out why this team’s ceiling keeps rising — especially once the full roster gets healthy.

Finally, Steve Kornacki of the Wolverine Report stops in to evaluate Michigan Football’s playoff odds and the looming showdown with Ohio State. He explains why Michigan remains one of the nation’s most dangerous two-loss teams — plus an inside look at Dusty May’s 4–0 start with Michigan Basketball, including standout freshmen, key transfers, and early-season chemistry.

We wrap with a great Moment of Awe — the Charlotte Hornets bonding over a home-cooked meal in Milwaukee thanks to rookie Con Knueppel’s family… and 25 pounds of fajitas.

We dive head-first into a jam-packed Thursday slate as the playoff picture gets murkier, the rivalries get nastier, and the storylines get even better.

Larry and producer Tony open with college football’s shifting landscape — including the explosive pushback from USC and Michigan against private-equity money in the Big Ten — before bringing on three big guests breaking down three massive programs.

Guest: Cooper Perkins (Believe Podcast Network)
Cooper lays out the real path for USC against Oregon — including why Jaden Maiava has zero margin for error and why the Trojans’ only real winning formula might require him to run the ball more than expected.
We also get into:

• The truth about Oregon’s “elite” pass defense

• Why the USC–Notre Dame rivalry might actually get saved by playoff politics

• Which Trojan (hint: Biletnikoff front-runner) deserves more Heisman noise

Guest: Olin Buchanan (TexAgs)
After surviving the wild South Carolina scare, A&M sits undefeated — and the vibes in College Station are absolutely buzzing. Olin breaks down:

• What Mike Elko said at halftime that flipped the switch

• Why A&M’s physical identity MUST show up vs. Texas

• Whether the Aggies can realistically control their own playoff destiny

Guest: Adam Lichtenstein (Sun Sentinel)
Miami’s two-game skid may have knocked the shine off, but the Hurricanes are still mathematically alive — and maybe, finally, finding their rhythm again. Adam explains:

• What actually went wrong during the midseason stumble

• Why Miami’s defense may be playing its best football

• How the Canes stack up against Notre Dame for a potential at-large playoff bid

• The exact chaos needed in the ACC to sneak into Charlotte
  (Plus Adam’s dog weighs in with strong opinions.)

MLB inks new deals with ESPN, NBC, and Netflix — yes, Netflix. Larry and Tony break down what this means for Sunday nights, the future of baseball broadcasting, and how this all syncs with the next CBA window.

On this day in 1969: Pelé scores his 1,000th career goal — a milestone still unmatched in world football.

🏈 USC: Road Test in Eugene🏈 Texas A&M: 10–0 but Tested🏈 Miami: Still Alive and Dangerous⚾ MLB’s Media Shake-Up🌟 Moment of Awe

Larry and Tony dig into a stacked Wednesday slate — from playoff chaos to coaching rumors to a heavyweight hoops clash.

Zac Neel (USA Today, Oregon Ducks beat writer) jumps in to break down:

• Why Oregon–USC is suddenly must-win for both sides

• Dante Moore’s evolution, ceiling, and why he’s not NFL-bound yet

• How Oregon’s insane depth and personnel shifting create matchup nightmares

• The Ducks’ identity under Dan Lanning — FEBU: Forget Everyone But Us

• Why Oregon’s secondary vs. USC’s receivers is the matchup

• Playoff math, weather factors, and what Oregon must do to win

Then Matt Stevens (IlliniGuys) joins the show to talk:

• Why weekly CFP rankings are more content machine than meaningful

• The disaster of the current recruiting calendar

• Lane Kiffin rumors, LSU/Florida noise, and why the SEC is about to explode

• Illinois hoops: how legit is the jump to No. 8?

• What Illinois needs tonight against Alabama

Plus:

• Nebraska recruiting drama — is there real smoke around Matt Rhule?

• Major WNBA CBA updates (with real money finally on the table)

• Fan overreaction season: message boards are in full meltdown mode

• MLB’s first big offseason move — and why it makes no sense for the Orioles

Finally, Larry closes with a Moment of Awe-ish, reacting to Baltimore trading future ace Grayson Rodriguez for Taylor Ward.

Larry breaks down another wild Tuesday in the sports world — and there is no shortage of storylines.

College Football Coaching Chaos:

• The Lane Kiffin rumor mill is officially roaring. LSU and Florida reportedly sent planes to pick up members of the Kiffin family for campus tours. Smoke… meet fire.

• Virginia Tech lands James Franklin as its new head coach, ending the Hokies’ long search for a program-reviver.

• Why Penn State might be the sneaky biggest winner in the whole thing.

Steelers at 6–4: Mirage or Momentum?
Larry is joined by Ray Fittipaldo (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) to break down:

• Mason Rudolph’s stability and why Pittsburgh’s QB situation is quietly fragile.

• A defense reinventing itself midseason — and finally producing splash plays.

• The brutal remaining schedule that playoff predictors hate.

• Two looming matchups with Baltimore that will define the season.

NHL Quarter-Mark Check-In:
CBS Sports’ Austin Nivison stops by to talk:

• Why the Avalanche look terrifying again.

• Boston, Detroit, and Montreal — the Atlantic Division we absolutely did not expect.

• Bedard and the Blackhawks making noise earlier than anyone thought.

• Edmonton’s Groundhog Day problem.

• Which teams sitting outside the playoff picture still have time to recover.

NFL Notes:

• Cowboys roll in a Monday night snoozer.

• Are the Chiefs running out of rope?

• Bills survive behind Josh Allen’s superhero act.

• The Bears’ stadium project hits a billion-dollar wall.

NBA Recap:

• OKC keeps rolling.

• Pistons dominating at home.

• Victor Wembanyama sidelined with a calf strain.

Moment of Awe (…or Ow):
A look back at Joe Theisman’s infamous career-ending injury — 40 years ago today.