Morning Update: They Both Say Drew

Nothing moved overnight. Sunday morning, September 27, and the board is exactly where it was: Rick Devens versus Taylor Brown in Part 3, live on finale night, and neither of them holding the key. Drew Campbell is out of the race and still in the house — and on Saturday, both finalists told the house they take Drew if they win. After midnight he was in the yard, alone, practicing a jury speech for a seat that is not locked. Last updates around 1:17 AM. No Sunday wake-up yet.

If you missed how the race got here, the setup is in Evening Update: Devens and Taylor.

The pitch. Saturday afternoon, about 4:21 PM, Devens and Taylor in the yard. Devens laid it out: he thinks Taylor has a better chance against him than Drew does, and he asked her for the votes. His map — his talk, not a count — put Barrett and Melody with Drew, LaLa and Yash with Taylor, and Dee and Angela as jurors who know Drew's game and might vote for him. Devens said he's in the middle, and that he thinks he has a better shot to win against Drew. Taylor asked the obvious question: is that why you won't take me? Devens said he promised Drew. Loyalty. Maybe he could pull LaLa and Yash over Drew, he said, but not over Taylor. Taylor said she was processing. He left.

Taylor's answer took five minutes. At 4:32 PM, alone, she said Drew rode the icons' coattails and didn't play his own game — she did — and that she's taking Drew to the Final Two. Then she went back to studying: Dee's week 1 nominations, Taylor, Mallory, and Yash. That's her study list, not a confirmed Part 3 question set.

By 4:34, her read of the pitch had hardened. In her telling, Devens threatened to get Dee and Angela to vote for Drew. Her answer: he'll step on stage and won't have time — no roundtable, a ding, no time to convince anybody. She doesn't do well with threats. "Little does he know." That's her read of the conversation, and she's operating on it.

Devens didn't hide any of it. At 6:42 PM, Drew asked if he made the pitch. Devens: Taylor told you, it's no secret, I told you I would. Drew's take — Devens would be dumb not to. Then the balcony, 6:45 to 6:54. Drew asked if Devens told Taylor he'd take her if she takes him. Devens said no. Drew floated his own pitch material — who he screwed over, that he's 22 and doesn't need the money, that he still lives with his parents — and Devens noted that might not land with his audience, meaning Taylor. Drew asked if Devens will break his heart. Devens asked if he'll break a 22-year-old's heart. When Drew pointed out Dee will be in the jury house vouching for Devens all week, Devens said he can be mean all week, because Drew won't be on the jury for him. No more Drew-management. That's Devens talking like Drew is the Final Two seat. It is not a lock.

The night, in stamps. 10:30 PM, Drew went to the Diary Room in a Head of Household outfit, holding his hairbrush — a costume, not a new key. Devens played pool alone and said he should quit while he's behind. 10:49, Devens said good night; Taylor said see you in the morning. 11:02, dishes done, Taylor to the camera: five more days — and don't size her up. 11:09, she pulled hair from the shower drain and went off about a nasty house. At midnight she'd been studying the days in her bedroom; Big Brother told her to put on her mic, she got into the pod and didn't, and the lights went off. Devens was already asleep in the have-not room.

Then the yard. From 12:02 to 12:43 AM, Drew practiced the speech, cup raised, alone. His words, not a verified record. He made the top three and hopes he can say he won — the jury could be tearing him up. He's sitting there waiting for two people to decide his fate. His biggest move was getting rid of Dee, because it put him where Taylor takes him and Devens takes him; he brought Devens here and Devens is loyal. The money, if he's not being silly, goes to his mom — she came from another country and works every day.

The strategy section: being trusted, playing the middle until he had to pick a side. The icons trusted each other, and that alliance would take a lot to fracture — he knew one would go before him. He reworked "knowledge is power" into "information is power." Sometimes neither side wanted him; he's still here. He says he was the one person the icons were scared of — they tried to get rid of him and couldn't, he had options and they didn't. He says, like Taylor, he was on the block six times and got himself off five of the six without relying on votes. That six is his speech, so file it accordingly.

And Melody. He couldn't do this game without her — she always defended him to the other side, his most loyal ally. That's a jury pitch, not a storyline. He also floated a theory: Devens only got rid of Melody to pull Drew closer, because he knew Drew could win competitions. Drew's theory, labeled as such. He closed on not hiding — he was in every room, and that might have bothered people.

Where that leaves it. Both finalists say they take Drew. That's the house position until Part 3 says otherwise. The finale is Thursday, October 1, at 8:00 PM Eastern, 5:00 PM Pacific, 90 minutes. Tonight, Sunday, still has a one-hour episode at 9:30 PM Eastern, 6:30 PM Pacific — what's in it isn't locked, and we're not guessing.

Receipts

• Jokers quick view — Saturday's pitch and the midnight speech
• Evening Update: Devens and Taylor — prior note