As Week 3 of the college football season kicks off this Saturday, Jessica Smetana from The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz joined Mike Golic Jr. and Mike Golic Sr. on Friday’s edition of GoJo & Golic to explore the key storylines for the weekend.
Before diving into the upcoming games, the guys checked in with Jessica, who provided live coverage outside Hard Rock Stadium covering the Bills vs. Dolphins game for Thursday’s edition of Pregame PowerUp on DraftKings Network. After talking about all the places she was sweating live on Thursday, she humorously reiterated that the sweltering Miami heat had her “sweating her whole ass off.” The discussion also included her reactions to the game and Tua Tagovailoa’s head injury, with Jessica echoing the sentiments of many fans. She highlighted Tua’s passion for the game since college and expressed how difficult it was to watch him suffer another concussion.
The conversation then turned to college football, focusing on Notre Dame’s upcoming road matchup against Purdue. The Fighting Irish are currently a 9.5-point favorite at DraftKings Sportsbook. GoJo asked Smetana about her confidence in Notre Dame’s chances following their disappointing upset loss to Northern Illinois.
Smetana admitted she’s not as optimistic, citing the uncertainty around quarterback Riley Leonard’s health. Leonard, who suffered a posterior labrum injury against Northern Illinois last week, may struggle to showcase the rushing ability that made him a key asset for Notre Dame. Despite reports indicating he will start against Purdue, there’s skepticism about his effectiveness in dealing with this injury.
GoJo also sought Smetana’s thoughts on the Pac-12’s resurgence, particularly with the recent news of the conference poaching four Mountain West schools. Her initial reaction was, “Wow, they’re really pulling this off.” Smetana believes it’s a significant win for the Pac-12 but a setback for the Mountain West. With Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, and San Diego State set to join the Pac-12 in 2026, she sees the move as a strong step for the conference’s rebuilding efforts.
Additionally, the Pac-12 is exploring adding some FCS schools, a move Smetana acknowledges reflects the conference’s enduring market value despite the shifting landscape. But, she doesn’t necessarily see some former teams that decamped for the ACC returning home. In fact, she gives the guys some insight on the “Cal-gorithm” and how that is becoming the sounding board on Twitter for Cal football.
Smetana said that while geographically it makes sense for Cal and Stanford to return to the Pac-12, some college football reporters believe that those schools value the academic reputation of the ACC. She noted that these schools might prefer to stay in a conference that aligns with their academic standards rather than return to a reshaped Pac-12 that may not meet those expectations. Senior followed up by saying that it ultimately comes down to money, and Cal is just making more in the ACC, giving context to why Cal and Stanford left the Pac-12 in the first place.
Watch or listen to the full show below and tune into GoJo and Golic weekday mornings from 8-10 a.m. ET on DraftKings Network! See more about how to watch DraftKings Network here.
SHOW BREAKDOWN
Hour 1: Tua Tagovailoa’s Concussion + Jessica Smetana on Notre Dame Football and PAC-12 After Dark’s Resurgence
Hour 2: Quentin Johnston, Chargers WR, on NFL Fights Jim Harbaugh & Prepping for the Panthers + Jordan Brenner on NFL’s Best Week 2 Dogs
VIDEO
Watch GoJo and Golic every weekday on Samsung TV Plus, Roku, Xumo Play, Google TV and DraftKingsNetwork.com from 8 to 10 a.m. ET. The show is also available via audio on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also follow Mike Golic Sr. on X at @golic and Mike Golic Jr. on X at @mikegolicjr.
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