Sometimes, the biggest storylines don’t come from the powerhouses but from the unassumed underdogs ready to defy all odds. While the College Football Playoff is stacked with blue blood this year, one matchup, in particular, has the analysts buzzing—not because it’s a marquee clash of juggernauts, but because a surprising team is being given more than just a puncher’s chance to flip the script. You’d expect everyone to side with the home favorite here, especially given the unforgiving weather that awaits. But one insider took a long pause, then said the unthinkable: Don’t sleep on the Ponies.

The hosts of “Marty & McGee” on the ESPN CFB podcast, with Pete Thamel and Ryan McGee, sat down to discuss it. Ryan McGee, ESPN’s always-entertaining voice of reason, dropped jaws when he picked No. 10 SMU to stun No. 4 Penn State in their backyard—a cold Happy Valley under the electrifying glow of a White Out. “I love these games where there is no history to bother us” the television producer said on the podcast. “All I’m saying is, I’ve been counting out the Ponies all season, and they just keep hanging around. I’m not going to be surprised at all when they go into a December freezing cold white out and pull off an upset. So, why not? Go Stangs!” Damm double digits seed here we go McGee.

You could hear the disbelief from co-host Pete Thamel, who pressed McGee for confirmation. “So…you’re picking the upset?” McGee doubled down, even swallowing a tough pill when acknowledging his respect for the Nittany Lions’ head coach James Franklin. “Yeah, I’m picking the Ponies. I like James Franklin a lot, I’d love to see him silence the critics and make a run, but I just can’t keep betting against SMU.” For McGee, it’s not blind optimism—it’s the grit, that chip-on-the-shoulder energy he sees in coach Rhett Lashlee and these young Mustangs.

The Swinney-endorsed Coach Lash knows what’s coming. Happy Valley is no joke—particularly in December, when temperatures dip, and Penn State fans turn their home field into a sea of white hysteria. “It’s going to take our best effort of the year to come out of there with a win,” He has previously admitted to speaking on Crain & Company. And he’s right. Penn State’s defense is one of the toughest SMU will have seen all year. But let’s not forget what the Ponies bring to the table: an offense that’s been quietly lighting up scoreboards.

Led by Sophomore underrated QB Kevin Jennings, SMU is sixth in the nation in scoring offense, averaging a cool 38.5 points per game. No, they don’t carry the same firepower as Oregon, but this is a team that knows how to find the end zone. And that Penn State defense? As good as they’ve been, the Nittany Lions are dealing with some internal turbulence. Backup quarterback Beau Pribula entered the transfer portal just days before the playoff, leaving coach James Franklin frustrated and vocal. “We’ve got problems in college football,” Franklin said. Backing his boy “He shouldn’t be put in this position.” Distractions like that can matter when it’s win-or-go-home.

From our lens, Penn State, dominant performance cements its spot as a legitimate title contender. For SMU, the narrative is clearer. A blowout loss fuels critics to question whether they belonged in the 12-team field at all. But a win? That flips the conversation entirely. If the Ponies pull off the upset, there’s no more dismissing them as an afterthought. And that’s what makes McGee’s call so compelling. He’s seen enough from SMU to know that adversity fuels them. “There’s just a chip on their shoulder,” he said, as though speaking directly to fans ready to write them off.

Coach James Franklin Sounds off on transfer portal chaos

The blue and white man-in-charge James Franklin didn’t hold back when discussing the challenges created by the transfer portal—particularly its “timing”. As the portal opens, it directly overlaps with playoff prep and bowl season, putting coaches and players in a bind. Franklin called the current timeline a “no-win situation,” and honestly, it’s hard to disagree.

One example hitting close to home is Beau Pribula, Penn State’s redshirt sophomore quarterback, who recently announced his entry into the transfer portal. Pribula had carved out a unique role in the offense behind starter Drew Allar, but with Allar’s decision to return in 2025, the writing was on the wall. Pribula, ever the team-first guy, took to social media to explain his tough choice, saying the timing “forced me into an impossible decision.”

Franklin praised Pribula, calling him a “phenomenal teammate” and a key contributor to Penn State’s success this season. The coach emphasized that Pribula embraced the tough role of backup, never losing sight of the team’s goals. But the transfer portal’s chaotic timing forces quarterbacks like Pribula to make decisions with urgency while teams are still focused on postseason success.