College Football Mailbag: Vols Didn't Juice Crowd Noise, Boosters Have Tough Decisions, USC Has Big Problem

The eighth week of the college football season is in the books, and business has certainly picked up across the country. 

Whether it was Georgia beating Texas, with a side of craziness in the third quarter, or Tennessee winning in dramatic fashion against Alabama, we continue to witness some fascinating outcomes around the sport that will impact the college football playoffs.

At the same time, there are some schools that are going to have to look in the mirror, and see if their current head coach is the right guy to lead them into the future. 

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While all of this is going on, we are just a few weeks away from the first College Football Playoff rankings, which will only increase the amount of arguments pertaining to who should be in, and who should not be ranked in the Top-12.  

But before we start yelling at each other about which teams should be in, let's get to your questions this week, where I decided to pick the best five, from a very full inbox. 

Hey Trey, did you notice all the talk about Tennessee piping in extra crowd noise during the Alabama game? Do you believe they were actually doing this? Thanks!

—Austin, Gallatin, Tenn.

Austin, I'm surprised this was a topic of conversation on Monday. The atmosphere on Saturday night inside Neyland Stadium was electric, and the crowd made it even better. This is what to expect in college football, with fans playing a factor in these games. It was loud, and I mean loud, during the Alabama game. As for a school piping in extra crowd noise, I have no reason to believe Tennessee was doing this, because there was no reason to, with over 100K fans making enough noise the entire game. 

Are the same folks claiming that LSU adds some extra juice through the speakers during games in Baton Rouge? What about Autzen Stadium in Oregon? Just because a place is extremely loud doesn’t mean they've juiced the speakers. By the way, I was standing on both sidelines Saturday night, next to very large speakers, and all I heard was music being played during stoppages in the game, or before a play. I've been to numerous stadiums this season, and every one of them is different, but bring their own type of advantage. 

As for Tennessee, those fans didn’t need the extra help. But that's just my opinion. 

Do you see boosters and collectives choosing between paying buyouts for new coaches or NIL? For example, at USC and Auburn, you either get rid of a coach or bring in new players. There can only be so much money some of these programs have unless you're A&M or Oregon. Do you also think this limits buyouts in the future on these contracts?

—William

Hey William, I appreciate the question. Boosters are already having to choose between giving to the university for its fund that goes towards facility upgrades and other expenditures, or making sure they have a roster good enough to compete. The problem is that these donors are getting pulled in different directions, and some are not seeing a return on investment with NIL. Now, I don't know how big of a problem this will be once revenue-sharing is introduced, but the schools and collectives will continue to scramble over a few million dollars, here and there. No matter what, these collectives have to keep up with the payroll, even when things shift to inside the athletic department. 

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - OCTOBER 5: Diego Pavia #2 of the Vanderbilt Commodores is interviewed by Alyssa Lang after his win against the Alabama Crimson Tide at FirstBank Stadium on October 5, 2024 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Carly Mackler/Getty Images)

If enough boosters want to pay the buyout to fire a coach, that's the route some schools are having to take. This is especially true when it comes to the payouts that these coaches receive within 30-60 days of their firing. I don’t think this detours some donors from giving, but I also think you're going to see these buyouts continue at the level they're at now, because agents have a job to do, and that's provide financial security for their clients. Thank goodness for payment plans. 

Is Florida waiting around until the end of the season to fire Billy Napier? Is this because the playoff could have potential coaches we'd be interested in for the job? Thanks Trey.

—Christopher, Jacksonville

Christopher, hope you're doing well. Now that the playoffs have shifted to 12 games, and don't start until late December, it's going to be tough for some schools to make a hire, especially if they’re eyeing a coach still participating. Honestly, there are a lot of folks on Florida's campus hoping they don't have to make that decision on Billy Napier, but I don't know if they'll get what they wish for. There are certainly coaches who would discuss the Florida opening (If it does open) that are currently vying for a playoff spot, which makes this decision on which way to go much harder. 

Yes, coaches will know through their agents if a school has set up back-channel communication to let that coach know a certain program will be interested once the season ends. For Florida, the next few weeks will obviously be very telling, and if the Gators can spur an upset, or two, it's going to make the decision much harder. The money is there, for the immediate buyout, but they’re definitely taking their time with this one. But my question is what makes the UF administration think it's going to get better next year? 

Time will tell.

How much are you paying attention to these AP rankings before the college football playoff initial rankings are released in a few weeks?

—Terrance, Frankfurt, Germany

Terrance, thanks for the question from Germany. I love Frankfurt, having visited there in my early 20s. 

I pay attention to what other voters around the country are thinking, but sometimes I wonder what the hell they are actually thinking. Did they get to watch every single game? Absolutely not, so some AP voters are going off highlights on YouTube or box-scores. The other problem is that there is so much parody this season in college football. I feel as if there are a number of teams that could make the playoffs interesting, and have a chance to win a national title. 

EUGENE, OREGON - OCTOBER 12: Head coach Dan Lanning of the Oregon Ducks reacts after the game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Autzen Stadium on October 12, 2024 in Eugene, Oregon. The Oregon Ducks won 32-31. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)

The playoff committee members are looking at these weekly AP poll rankings, but please don't pay much attention to the coaches poll, as it's normally just the SID's filling them out. The first unveiling of the playoff poll will be fascinating, if only because I want to see how far some of these voters are off, and if the committee members are thinking the same way. 

Just wait, we are a few weeks away from chaos starting, and I don’t mean on the field. 

Do you find it odd that USC continues to look like crap under Lincoln Riley? I thought we were getting some type of college football savior out here in LA. 

—Adam, Manhattan Beach, Calif.

Adam, I feel for you buddy. I know this is not what any USC fan expected when Lincoln Riley took the job, especially losing to Minnesota and Maryland in the Trojans' first year of Big Ten play. This has been a disaster of epic proportions, and Lincoln Riley had better figure out the defensive side of the ball, or you guys will definitely run him out of town. 

COLLEGE PARK, MARYLAND - OCTOBER 19: Head coach Lincoln Riley of the USC Trojans argues a call with an official in the fourth quarter against at Maryland Terrapins at SECU Stadium on October 19, 2024 in College Park, Maryland. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images)

When you fumble the bag with Caleb Williams as your starting quarterback, you know something is wrong. After letting Penn State come back from the dead, and losing that game at home, this must feel like a nightmare for you guys. And i'll be honest with you, I don't know that a recruiting class is going to make you all feel any better. USC's administration expected much more than what they’re getting, especially for the money spent on Lincoln Riley. 

Now, with this horrible start to Big Ten play, and not fighting for a college football playoff berth, I'd imagine a decent amount of Trojan fans will be clamoring for some type of hope for the 2025 season. Maybe Lincoln Riley gets it turned around, but he had better do it soon, or USC will be looking for a way to afford his buyout. 

Thanks for all the questions and comments in my email, DMs. Continue reaching out, and I'll answer your questions during the week. So, send whatever you want to discuss to Trey.Wallace@OutKick.com