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Red Raider Revival · Talkin' Tech

0:39
SPEAKER_04: Welcome in, everybody, to the Telic and Tech Podcast.
0:42
SPEAKER_04: I'm your host, Steven Rodriguez.
0:44
SPEAKER_04: My co-host, Tristan McGonagall, is here.
0:47
SPEAKER_04: Tristan, what a magical, wonderful weekend in Raider Land.
0:52
SPEAKER_01: Steven, play the song.
0:55
SPEAKER_04: Okay, I'll play the song.
0:57
SPEAKER_07: Red Raider coming at you, run to the main with a fury of the West Texas win.
1:06
SPEAKER_07: Red Raider coming at you, what a beautiful song.
1:10
SPEAKER_07: The Texas Tech Red Raiders riding right again.
1:16
SPEAKER_04: That song made me feel real good.
1:20
SPEAKER_04: Because Tristan, I regret to inform all the haters, but Texas Tech has won a big game.
1:30
SPEAKER_04: I'm so happy.
1:38
SPEAKER_01: In like 2012 or whatever that was.
1:41
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, it's been a hot minute.
1:43
SPEAKER_04: My friend, almost had one against the TCU Hornfrogs in 2015.
1:50
SPEAKER_04: But it didn't happen.
1:52
SPEAKER_04: And look, why are we talking about this?
1:54
SPEAKER_04: Look, we won a big game.
1:56
SPEAKER_04: We won the biggest game in a long, long time at Texas Tech.
1:59
SPEAKER_04: Call it what you will.
2:01
SPEAKER_04: But your Texas Tech Red Raiders are firmly in first place.
2:04
SPEAKER_04: Not firmly, we're technically tied because BYU are not technically tied, actually.
2:09
SPEAKER_04: You're right, you're right.
2:10
SPEAKER_04: The loss column, we're tied.
2:12
SPEAKER_04: But your Texas Tech Red Raiders are standing at number one in the Big 12 conference standings right now as of November 12th, 2025.
2:23
SPEAKER_04: How does that make you feel?
2:24
SPEAKER_01: Steven, that feels pretty dang good.
2:26
SPEAKER_01: You know, like one way to describe the feelings that were out of Lubbock, and we can get to like all the reactions, all that that we want to touch on here in a second, but I feel like something that's kind of um reverberating right now is the word finally.
2:41
SPEAKER_01: You know, like us as a fan base, we've waited so dang long for some level of success that is actually impressive, and we finally achieved it, dude.
2:52
SPEAKER_01: Like we are firmly in the football conversation in America right now.
2:57
SPEAKER_01: This great nation of the East United States has to include Texas Tech in any of their around the clock around the table ball talks right now.
3:07
SPEAKER_01: Okay, and that feels dang good.
3:09
SPEAKER_01: Little of West Texas matters right now, and Texas Tech is just lighting up all sorts of uh of leaderboards, and man, we are we are here, dude.
3:20
SPEAKER_01: We've arrived, man.
3:21
SPEAKER_01: That we got over the last big hurdle here.
3:24
SPEAKER_04: Look, not only did we get past the last big hurdle, but we did it with all eyes on us.
3:30
SPEAKER_04: This is the important part.
3:32
SPEAKER_04: We've had big games under Joey Maguire.
3:35
SPEAKER_04: We've had games where either we've created the buzz or the national media is finally starting to pay attention, and we finally won this one.
3:44
SPEAKER_04: We finally did it with college game day in town, with big time football celebrities in town, Patrick Mahomes there, Joey Maguire and the boys did it, and they did it convincingly over the BYU Cougars, the previously undefeated number seven team in the nation BYU Cougars.
4:07
SPEAKER_04: Um, this is a perfect weekend.
4:09
SPEAKER_04: It really was.
4:09
SPEAKER_04: The whole week leading up to it was perfect.
4:12
SPEAKER_04: You start to get all the buzz, you start seeing people camp out on Sunday, you know.
4:17
SPEAKER_04: You see the Raiderville clips as they're filing in.
4:20
SPEAKER_04: They had a party Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday.
4:22
SPEAKER_04: They clean somehow cleaned everything up before Friday.
4:25
SPEAKER_04: College game day setting up right, you know, 100 yards down the road from where everybody's camping out.
4:32
SPEAKER_04: Celebrities are starting to make their way in, podcasters, national media, all sorts of people were in town for this game, and everybody was looking at you at 11 a.m.
4:43
SPEAKER_04: Central Time.
4:44
SPEAKER_04: It was really, really, really satisfying to see that the team came up and and showed that they're a dominant team this year.
4:52
SPEAKER_01: Steven, I I, you know, I like that you kind of ran through all that, what happened over the week there.
4:56
SPEAKER_01: And I gotta say, I feel like us included in this, and anybody that went to Texas Tech University between the times of 20, say like 2010 to 2022, is just immensely jealous of what the students have right now.
5:12
SPEAKER_01: But I am incredibly proud of our current student body, man.
5:15
SPEAKER_01: They understood the the assignment and they brought the energy.
5:18
SPEAKER_01: Raiderville was outstanding to see in the feeds, and holy cow, the way we packed that uh that fenced area for college game day was insanity.
5:30
SPEAKER_01: Like that was that had to have been the biggest crowd of the year for college game day.
5:35
SPEAKER_01: Um, and obviously I want to stay on Texas Tech here, but just I I love that we kind of made a point, not just for Texas Tech, but to the country and all the other schools out there that look, dude, it's not just the SEC that gives a hoot about this sport, okay?
5:51
SPEAKER_01: Like you're allowed to go to all these other locations who love college football just as much as they do, um, and enjoy the atmosphere and and and showcase the community, you know?
6:02
SPEAKER_01: Like that you don't need to go to some mid-level SEC game that week just because you can't find another game to go to.
6:08
SPEAKER_01: Like, go to an FCS matchup, go to a G6 matchup, man.
6:11
SPEAKER_01: Like just mix it up, you know, and then they we we were the we're living proof it was the most watched college game day of the year, and it wasn't it did not include their prize brands, you know.
6:22
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, because people are excited to go to a place that they haven't that they don't go to once or twice a year, every single year.
6:28
SPEAKER_04: You know, you could go to Bama LSU every year, you could go to Georgia, Bama every year, you go to Texas, Texas AM every year, whatever.
6:36
SPEAKER_04: This is it, you go to the Red River game every year, but these are the moments that showcase the rest of what the sport is, and they don't get the spotlight very often.
6:46
SPEAKER_04: And tech and Lubbock are finally getting uh some well-deserved spotlight from everything.
6:51
SPEAKER_04: It also helped that the SEC had a weak week.
6:54
SPEAKER_04: Um, you know, it just it they didn't have a lot of good games going on.
6:58
SPEAKER_04: I think Vanny survived an upset.
7:00
SPEAKER_04: Um, but other than that, Georgia kicked Mississippi State's butt, and you know, their AM killed whoever they played.
7:07
SPEAKER_04: So it is, you know, it was weak week for the SEC.
7:11
SPEAKER_04: The Big Ten did have some competitive games and some really exciting moments this week, but it did, it is still it's really not even about the football game, right?
7:19
SPEAKER_04: Like I wrote down the football game won't be remembered.
7:22
SPEAKER_04: BYU Texas Tech, the football game will not be remembered, but the weekend in the moment will be remembered, and hopefully the kind of turning point for what is more and more success as we go into the postseason and a potential Big 12 championship bid and all this sort of stuff.
7:39
SPEAKER_04: So, you know, it's it's also just nice knowing that the only complaints really that I've seen or negative talk is kind of based around repetitive storylines, you know, J.
7:50
SPEAKER_04: Rod's wife, all this kind of stuff.
7:51
SPEAKER_04: So people are starting to get annoyed with that being constantly thrown at them.
7:55
SPEAKER_04: Um, and the numerous cutaways to Patrick Mahomes during the broadcast.
8:00
SPEAKER_04: But that was really the only negative stuff that I saw based around this entire weekend broadcast in Lubbock, Texas.
8:07
SPEAKER_04: Um, and everything else has just been glaringly, glowingly positive.
8:12
SPEAKER_01: Absolutely, dude.
8:13
SPEAKER_01: And all of the um like all the big heads that came through like Kirk Herb Street, uh, Stanford Steve, and all that.
8:21
SPEAKER_01: Like if you go back to McAfee, um, if you listen to any of their podcasts, they just have glowing reviews of Lubbock, West Texas, and her people, dude.
8:30
SPEAKER_01: Like it's it's it was just it was really heartwarming.
8:33
SPEAKER_01: Like I was obviously you and I, we're not we're not we're not born and bred West Texas.
8:36
SPEAKER_01: We're we're down from here down to South Texas, but um it's it just it warms my heart to see such an overlooked community get its flowers, you know, like they care so much about Texas Tech, and they are so dang proud of that region of the state.
8:51
SPEAKER_01: You know, though those are good, honest, God-fearing people.
8:54
SPEAKER_01: Like those those are salty the earth folk, and it was so good to see that reverberated with everybody that came through.
9:00
SPEAKER_01: You know, they're like those are just good people out there in Lubbock and West Texas, you know, and they care deeply about uh about Texas Tech, and they're just you know grateful to have the uh the camera shown on them for even a little bit, you know, like they'll they they'll they'll take the uh they'll take the um the the spotlight where they can, you know, and it it's just those are just good, humble folk out there, man.
9:20
SPEAKER_01: And I was just so proud to be a part of it for even four years.
9:24
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, absolutely.
9:25
SPEAKER_04: You said it beautifully.
9:26
SPEAKER_04: Uh missed that place.
9:28
SPEAKER_04: We were happy to go earlier this year for the Kansas game.
9:31
SPEAKER_04: Excited to, you know, go in the years to come.
9:33
SPEAKER_04: It's always fun going back to Lubbock.
9:35
SPEAKER_04: Um, and hopefully, you know, maybe we pick the BYU game equivalent earlier on in the season to where we can experience the madness that I'm sure Lubbock, Texas was this past weekend.
9:46
SPEAKER_04: But let's talk about the game.
9:49
SPEAKER_04: 29-7.
9:50
SPEAKER_04: Uh, the score does not indicate how badly and how dominant Texas Tech was in this matchup.
9:58
SPEAKER_04: BYU did not score the first three quarters of this football game.
10:02
SPEAKER_04: They had one scoring drive the entire time.
10:04
SPEAKER_04: Texas Tech probably left 20 to 30 more points on the board based upon uh you know some downfalls in the red zone.
10:14
SPEAKER_04: But what an overwhelming dominant win and performance from your defense.
10:19
SPEAKER_04: And we've been saying this all year long, all year long.
10:23
SPEAKER_04: And we can highlight the same players over and over again.
10:26
SPEAKER_04: I wanted to highlight a few more because they deserved their flowers as well.
10:30
SPEAKER_04: Cole Wasneski, Brendan Jordan had a fantastic game, Ben Roberts played really well.
10:36
SPEAKER_04: These guys that are outside of your normal.
10:39
SPEAKER_04: I mean, obviously J.
10:40
SPEAKER_04: Rod, fumble recovery, interception, phenomenal.
10:43
SPEAKER_04: David Bailey rushing getting to the quarterback, Ramella Hyde doing that.
10:46
SPEAKER_04: Lee Hunter just shoving the crap out of everybody to get to the quarterback.
10:50
SPEAKER_04: I it's this entire defense, it's it's everybody, it's not just those guys, it's those other guys.
10:57
SPEAKER_04: Cole Wasneski had his best game of the year against BYU.
11:00
SPEAKER_04: Fantastic.
11:03
SPEAKER_01: Dude, absolutely, and I think the best way to put this game, you know, I heard my some of my favorite words whenever I went to work on Monday.
11:10
SPEAKER_01: Um, that it sounds ironic that this is the best word you can hear whenever you're a fan.
11:15
SPEAKER_01: Wow, really boring game, huh?
11:17
SPEAKER_01: And I was just like, absolutely, and that's how we like it, dude.
11:21
SPEAKER_04: And I love every second of it.
11:23
SPEAKER_01: Yes, whenever you're on the uh side of whenever you're on the winning side of boring game, um, that means you utterly crushed them.
11:30
SPEAKER_01: You just you you you controlled the game the entire time, and it really seemed like BYU never had a chance.
11:36
SPEAKER_01: Especially whenever after that first uh botched punt and you get that recovery, it's like, okay, that kind of felt like that really was the first big stab into the into uh into BYU.
11:47
SPEAKER_01: So uh like like I said, man, like you make it look easy on Saturday.
11:51
SPEAKER_01: And I think you I think you though I like the way you opened up this conversation saying that the game will not be remembered remembered, and I don't think it will.
11:57
SPEAKER_01: Like, I don't think we'll really remember anything big about this game.
12:00
SPEAKER_01: Like, there's no moment.
12:01
SPEAKER_01: You know, in 2008, there's a moment, right?
12:04
SPEAKER_01: True.
12:04
SPEAKER_01: So, but with with this, there's no moment.
12:06
SPEAKER_01: So you you the the moment is just the environment and the stakes that you're able to capture.
12:12
SPEAKER_01: Um, so it's uh it in the best way, an incredibly boring effort, and the defense made it that way.
12:18
SPEAKER_01: Like the deep the defense went out there and did their job as usual, and everyone was finally firing on all cylinders, and BYU never had a chance.
12:24
SPEAKER_01: Their one touchdown, they were able to string together a few good passing plays, and that's really how people have been scoring on us lately.
12:29
SPEAKER_01: So that's gonna happen.
12:30
SPEAKER_01: It's football.
12:31
SPEAKER_01: You're not gonna shut off good teams.
12:32
SPEAKER_01: BYU is a good team.
12:33
SPEAKER_01: Um, and I tell you what, man, while we're sitting on the defense here, Bear Bachmeyer's a tough kid.
12:39
SPEAKER_01: Like to get swallowed up like he did, yeah.
12:43
SPEAKER_01: He he and get back up and keep going and not and and not really show too much of a singe of pain.
12:49
SPEAKER_01: He did look like a freshman quarterback.
12:52
SPEAKER_01: We'll make everybody look like a freshman quarterback.
12:54
SPEAKER_01: That is one tough kid, seriously.
12:56
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, I came away very impressed with that guy, and I hate that he's gonna be a BYU for the next three, four years.
13:04
SPEAKER_04: He's never going to be, and I won't say never because that's capping on a kid that is uh freshman in college, so he's obviously got potential to grow as a quarterback.
13:15
SPEAKER_04: That kid is going to be a pain in the ass for so many years to come for the Big 12.
13:20
SPEAKER_04: He just is.
13:21
SPEAKER_04: He's he's a really and for him to get this experience and to start all season as a true freshman, it it he's tough.
13:29
SPEAKER_04: He's tough as hell.
13:30
SPEAKER_04: And I watched uh I I listened and watched the BYU postgame because I'm a sicko and I take in everything uh after a Texas Tech win.
13:39
SPEAKER_04: And they had the receiver, uh, what was his name?
13:44
SPEAKER_04: It wasn't Kingston, it was the other kid.
13:46
SPEAKER_04: Um Chase Roberts.
13:50
SPEAKER_04: They had Chase Roberts talking about post-game and just you know asking him questions when they're pissed off.
13:55
SPEAKER_04: And he the amount of confidence that he expressed in Bear Bachmeyer and basically was just like, we're gonna take us where Bear leads us.
14:04
SPEAKER_04: I mean, he said he's saying this about a true freshman quarterback.
14:07
SPEAKER_04: That's what kind of tells you about the leader that he is.
14:10
SPEAKER_04: And uh, if you look at their one scoring drive, he was elite on their one scoring drive.
14:15
SPEAKER_04: I mean, he was I think he was seven for seven.
14:17
SPEAKER_04: He got almost the majority of his passing yards during that one drive, but he looked terrific, and he's obviously got the the run game, but yeah, he just ran into a freaking brick wall.
14:26
SPEAKER_04: That is the Texas Tech defense, and no one no one's going to succeed.
14:31
SPEAKER_04: You know, really Sam Levitt has been the only one, and and you look back at that game, and they were at home, they're playing a backup quarterback, and they scored 28 points, you know.
14:39
SPEAKER_04: So it's not like they killed them, but this defense is just so rock solid.
14:43
SPEAKER_04: You're just not gonna do well.
14:45
SPEAKER_01: I I'm still kind of glued to your this game won't be remembered.
14:48
SPEAKER_01: I think another reason why this game won't be remembered uh is it was against BYU.
14:52
SPEAKER_01: Like BYU is just a squad of good dudes.
14:55
SPEAKER_01: Like they they are not they are not your bitter rival, they are not a team with that uh has this annoying swagger about them.
15:03
SPEAKER_01: They are not a fan base that will talk trash to you before or after the game.
15:08
SPEAKER_01: They're just it's just good people playing good football.
15:11
SPEAKER_01: So you're just you you're not you're you're you're not really like locked into the uh to the to the storyline due to like an ugly opponent.
15:20
SPEAKER_01: It's just you're you're playing, you know, you're playing uh uh Santa Claus and Friends, you know, like it's it's these are these are these are happy, good people that you know they're just enjoying the experience more than anything.
15:31
SPEAKER_01: So I think that's another reason why it's not gonna go down.
15:34
SPEAKER_01: It's like of course we'll remember that it's against BYU, but it it's not like it's not like remembering how we we put it to those turds down in Austin, right?
15:41
SPEAKER_01: So it's it's it's just it's a different experience.
15:44
SPEAKER_01: And I I love BYU and I've always loved, I've always wanted BYU in the conference, and it just such a perfect moment for the Big 12 to have what are probably your two biggest brands, lock lock, uh, lock horns, like they did on Saturday.
15:59
SPEAKER_01: And then I'm glad that we were able to uh come out on top.
16:01
SPEAKER_01: But man, it's it's hard to say anything negative about the BYU Cougars in really any facet.
16:08
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, I mean the defense was legit.
16:10
SPEAKER_04: That's a that's a darn good team that just ran into a highly motivated, also darn good team.
16:15
SPEAKER_04: So, you know, it kind of is what it is.
16:17
SPEAKER_04: Uh, let's bring it down a little bit.
16:19
SPEAKER_04: Let's talk about the offense.
16:20
SPEAKER_04: So obviously, red zone woes uh have been uh a point of contention for Texas Tech this year, just not executing, not getting in the end zone.
16:32
SPEAKER_04: You're getting in the red zone consistently.
16:34
SPEAKER_04: I'm not trying to say the offense is not flowing.
16:37
SPEAKER_04: The offense is flowing.
16:38
SPEAKER_04: You have one of the best offenses in the Big 12, if not the number one offense in the Big 12 right now.
16:43
SPEAKER_04: The problem is you're not executing when it gets down to the nitty-gritty into the red zone and you're settling for a lot of field goals.
16:48
SPEAKER_04: And you can do that when you have this type of defense, but I don't know if you're gonna succeed when you start playing these Mondo talented teams, you know, as you get into the Big 12 championship and potentially beyond.
17:01
SPEAKER_04: So that's obviously something that Texas Tech needs to ferociously work on.
17:06
SPEAKER_04: And, you know, Baron Morton.
17:09
SPEAKER_04: Um Joey announced he's playing with a fracture, uh, a fibula on that, you know, that that uh lower leg, ankle, you know, down to his shin sort of area.
17:23
SPEAKER_04: And you could tell, you could tell he's limping off the field, um, you know, he's gutting it out, and you just hate it for him, but also he did he's doing enough to win right now.
17:33
SPEAKER_04: So I can't, you know, completely crap on Baron Morton.
17:36
SPEAKER_04: He had a solid game against BYU, but I worry about the guy's health constantly.
17:44
SPEAKER_01: You know, this offense is obviously the one downside to this team, and I know I know that's how you opened up your segment there.
17:53
SPEAKER_01: Uh, but our red zone offense is keep is the one thing keeping the offense from being truly elite.
17:58
SPEAKER_01: Like we well, our defense is elite.
18:01
SPEAKER_01: There's no ifs, ands, or buts about it.
18:03
SPEAKER_01: That is a top three in the country defense, but our offense, it's it's obviously got some issues.
18:08
SPEAKER_01: I mean, I we will you you and I or uh against the competition you've been playing, you will indeed take a field goal in every drive.
18:15
SPEAKER_01: Like that's that's probably going to win you the game if you get a touchdown here or there too as well.
18:20
SPEAKER_01: Um, because this defense will just keep the other team at bay.
18:23
SPEAKER_01: But we should be annihilating teams.
18:27
SPEAKER_01: Like this this defense is doing that well, and we are getting to uh on their doorstep nearly every drive, but we just can't punch it in.
18:37
SPEAKER_01: Um, and it's hard to decipher if that is a personnel issue or if that's a scheme issue.
18:43
SPEAKER_01: It's easy to lead right now to lean more towards it's a personnel issue due to, like you said, Barry Morton is playing with a fractured bone in his leg.
18:53
SPEAKER_01: So it's not like he can play to the wall in the in a red zone opportunity.
18:57
SPEAKER_01: They can't shove his body in there without breaking in half at this point.
19:01
SPEAKER_01: Um and they there does see I don't want to I know we're we're riding high, so I don't want to look at these negatives, but I do feel like, man, we have a bit of a receiver issue.
19:12
SPEAKER_01: I think we do, man.
19:14
SPEAKER_01: Like our receivers are not the killers they normally are at Texas Tech.
19:19
SPEAKER_01: They really aren't.
19:20
SPEAKER_01: Like the amount of drop balls and missed huge plays we are having, it's really frustrating.
19:26
SPEAKER_01: And I that might just be because we're so used to hitting all those all the time and lighting up the scoreboard.
19:31
SPEAKER_01: But it does feel like I don't know, uh maybe again, maybe this is a scheming thing, but it might be both.
19:37
SPEAKER_01: So we there's just a lot of frustration in that red zone because we're leaving so much off the board.
19:42
SPEAKER_01: BYU, this BYU game should have been over in the first half, like truly.
19:46
SPEAKER_01: And it was in many ways, don't get me wrong, but like we should be truly putting up video game numbers with the situations we're putting ourselves in.
19:53
SPEAKER_04: It wasn't a scheme issue against BYU.
19:55
SPEAKER_04: You had your chances, Barron threw the ball right on the dut.
19:59
SPEAKER_04: Look at that last play before halftime.
20:01
SPEAKER_04: Coy dropped the ball, TC dropped the ball.
20:04
SPEAKER_04: Uh Coy caught one, but did not get quite into the end zone there at the end.
20:10
SPEAKER_04: And I I want to chop it up to quarterback has not been consistent on this team.
20:17
SPEAKER_04: You've had Will Hammond come in, you've had Barron come in, you've had Mitch at times.
20:22
SPEAKER_04: So the receivers really need to build continuity with their quarterback.
20:26
SPEAKER_04: And when even when Barron's playing, he's going to be reduced on a practice level.
20:30
SPEAKER_04: He's not going to be out there with them all week long and you know, starting to understand them a little more and where they're open.
20:36
SPEAKER_04: And also, BYU did a great job in coverage.
20:38
SPEAKER_04: Like that defense is legit.
20:40
SPEAKER_04: Their linebacker play, their their secondary was really good.
20:44
SPEAKER_04: And but yeah, I mean, the drops are extremely frustrating.
20:47
SPEAKER_04: I think everybody's kind of frustrated by it.
20:50
SPEAKER_04: The the most reliable receiver you have is your tight end Terrence Carter right now.
20:55
SPEAKER_04: And even he dropped the ball against uh against BYU, uh for sure, touchdown.
21:01
SPEAKER_04: But yeah, we uh I mean something's gotta click right now.
21:04
SPEAKER_04: Something's gotta click, and you hope Barron continues to play, and you hope you know you continue to build this as we get into the postseason a little more.
21:13
SPEAKER_04: I I've enjoyed Reggie Virgil at times.
21:15
SPEAKER_04: I you know, he's not one of those guys that's really dropping a lot of balls, it just seems like he's he needs to get put in the right position to do so.
21:23
SPEAKER_04: Cadilla Douglas has had a problem with drops.
21:25
SPEAKER_04: Coy has had a uh a very disappointing year by all kinds of standards um this entire season.
21:31
SPEAKER_04: So I I don't know if I I don't think you go to a guy like Micah Hudson, even though he did catch a pass in the BYU game.
21:38
SPEAKER_04: So they're maybe they're trying to get him involved a little more.
21:41
SPEAKER_04: Who knows?
21:42
SPEAKER_04: I don't think you have to go to some of your other guys.
21:44
SPEAKER_04: I also think Roy Alexander would have been a big piece of this receiving team had he not been injured and been, you know, reduced to what he's doing.
21:52
SPEAKER_04: Um but yeah, I mean you need more out of that unit.
21:56
SPEAKER_01: Absolutely, dude.
21:57
SPEAKER_01: But thankfully, there is some bright spots in the receiving team.
22:00
SPEAKER_01: I think pretty much anytime you get uh uh Jacoby Williams into the passing game, good things happen as well.
22:06
SPEAKER_01: Like he's just a playmaker, and I love seeing him be able to be a dual purpose athlete like that.
22:12
SPEAKER_01: Um, but all in all, man, it's just it's just not a Texas Tech receiving core we're used to.
22:18
SPEAKER_01: It just really isn't.
22:19
SPEAKER_01: Like in in any Texas Tech football team we've watched throughout our fandom, like the receiving core is some of the best in the nation, or at least we make them look that way.
22:27
SPEAKER_01: And it's just it's just not really living up to to to to uh to that standard right now.
22:31
SPEAKER_01: But can I highlight somebody who had a phenomenal game?
22:34
SPEAKER_01: Go ahead.
22:35
SPEAKER_01: Stone Harrington.
22:37
SPEAKER_01: There you go.
22:37
SPEAKER_01: Dude was lights out, man.
22:39
SPEAKER_01: He five for five in a long of about 50 yards.
22:43
SPEAKER_01: Just an incredible game from your kicker.
22:46
SPEAKER_01: He is your uh offensive MVP, even though he's on special teams.
22:50
SPEAKER_01: Um, and he dude, just lighting up the scoreboard with 15 points.
22:54
SPEAKER_01: I mean, he's the guy that that was producing all game long.
22:57
SPEAKER_01: So just I just want to give the flowers to our kickers.
22:59
SPEAKER_01: You know, they're often overlooked because you know, you you expect you expect them to do their job.
23:03
SPEAKER_01: You only get mad, you only notice them when they miss.
23:05
SPEAKER_01: So I just want to make sure that we make sure that you know there is indeed a bright spot in win scoring points, and that's in your kicker for sure.
23:12
SPEAKER_04: Special teams has been electric.
23:13
SPEAKER_04: I've been really, really pleased with Kenny Perry's squad um on all pretty much every facet of it.
23:19
SPEAKER_04: The only thing you could highlight on special teams is Coy bobbling some uh some punts.
23:24
SPEAKER_04: But other than that, I mean Stone's been awesome.
23:26
SPEAKER_04: He he I believe he was Big 12 special teams player of the week for the second straight week after another huge performance, kicking field goals.
23:34
SPEAKER_04: Um, yeah, I mean, he he deserves a lot of credit for what he's done and completely taken over the job.
23:39
SPEAKER_04: Uh he's he's doing really well.
23:42
SPEAKER_01: Absolutely, dude.
23:42
SPEAKER_01: I mean, of course, the unspoken MVP of the game was that Jones ATT crowd.
23:48
SPEAKER_01: Just an outstanding, just an outstanding atmosphere, man.
23:52
SPEAKER_01: And you have everybody getting up at 11 a.m.
23:53
SPEAKER_01: And some of these students have been up for out like 68 hours, you know, straight, getting there, uh getting there uh early in the morning to show up and be loud, and just just an incredible, just an incredible Saturday, dude.
24:05
SPEAKER_01: What more can you ask for in the red and black?
24:07
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, absolutely.
24:08
SPEAKER_04: Phenomenal crowd, great game, great viewing experience, great all around.
24:13
SPEAKER_01: Oh, Steven.
24:14
SPEAKER_01: Go ahead.
24:15
SPEAKER_01: What'd you think of the patty uh uniforms?
24:17
SPEAKER_04: Better, better than last year's.
24:19
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I see.
24:21
SPEAKER_04: I see they're fine.
24:22
SPEAKER_04: I don't I don't love the metal thing.
24:24
SPEAKER_04: I know that's his deal, but uh you know, I I I the uniforms themselves look good.
24:28
SPEAKER_04: The helmets look good.
24:30
SPEAKER_04: It looked good.
24:31
SPEAKER_04: It's uh I don't love the metal, but that's a personal preference.
24:35
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I I mean I thought they looked tight.
24:37
SPEAKER_01: I thought they looked good.
24:38
SPEAKER_01: I just said tight.
24:41
SPEAKER_04: They were much better than than last year's, is what I'll say.
24:44
SPEAKER_04: Um let's talk about the Big 12.
24:46
SPEAKER_04: So right now, as mentioned earlier in the pod, Texas Tech sitting at 6-1, 9-1 overall.
24:52
SPEAKER_04: BYU and Cincinnati both tied in the loss column with you.
24:57
SPEAKER_04: You have now the tiebreaker over BYU.
25:00
SPEAKER_04: The next two down, Houston and Utah, sitting at two losses in the Big 12.
25:05
SPEAKER_04: You have the tiebreaker over them too.
25:08
SPEAKER_04: So if you take care of business against two of the Big 12 bottom feeders right now on your remaining schedule, UCF in West Virginia, you're looking at a pretty, pretty good chance that you're gonna be in Arlington this year.
25:21
SPEAKER_04: So that's not said as meant to jinx.
25:24
SPEAKER_04: I'm knocking on my wood desk right now, but you should take care of business, you should be in Arlington.
25:31
SPEAKER_04: It would take a lot to happen for you not to get there.
25:35
SPEAKER_01: All right, betting man, uh, who you see in Arlington.
25:40
SPEAKER_04: That's tough because BYU and Cincinnati play each other uh, I think next weekend.
25:46
SPEAKER_04: Utah looks like the second best team right now.
25:50
SPEAKER_04: But BYU beat Utah.
25:52
SPEAKER_04: It wasn't provo.
25:54
SPEAKER_04: Rivalry games are weird.
25:56
SPEAKER_04: I think Utah is the second most talented team in the Big 12 right now, with BYU being number three.
26:01
SPEAKER_04: Houston looks like they're on a little bit of a spiral down, even though they squeezed out a comeback win against UCF last week.
26:07
SPEAKER_04: Arizona State doesn't have Sam Levitt.
26:09
SPEAKER_04: I I don't know if you can really you know take them as anything right now.
26:14
SPEAKER_04: And Cincinnati looked awful in Salt Lake.
26:18
SPEAKER_04: I don't like truly awful.
26:20
SPEAKER_04: So I don't know.
26:21
SPEAKER_04: I I I think Cincinnati is number four right now if you're just looking at all these teams on this face and what they are.
26:28
SPEAKER_04: I think BYU is gonna be there, and I think we're gonna see a rematch in the Big 12 championship of tech BYU.
26:34
SPEAKER_01: I think it's BYU as well.
26:35
SPEAKER_01: I don't I don't I do not see Cincinnati pulling it out and getting to Arlington.
26:39
SPEAKER_01: And even if it is Cincinnati, I don't I don't really fear the Bang Bearcats.
26:43
SPEAKER_01: I mean, obviously famous last words, um, but I do feel really good about our uh our chances of beating BYU twice.
26:50
SPEAKER_01: I just don't know if BYU is built to overcome this defense.
26:53
SPEAKER_01: So I mean I feel good about facing anybody.
26:55
SPEAKER_01: Honestly, I the only one I don't really want to see again is Utah.
26:58
SPEAKER_01: You know, I I I think if we play Utah again, I think it's a better game.
27:01
SPEAKER_01: And I I think that uh I think it'd be a much tougher outlook.
27:04
SPEAKER_01: Um Utah needs to get out there and smoke the final opponents because if there's an opportunity for the Big 12 to sneak in three teams in the playoff, which is not even unreasonable at this point, uh Utah could be looking at themselves right there.
27:15
SPEAKER_01: So and that'd be a great look for the Big 12.
27:17
SPEAKER_01: So I'm actually I'm actually hoping they do it.
27:19
SPEAKER_01: I mean, I I as much as as as uh jarring as their fans can be, it'd be nice to see them try to pull that off.
27:25
SPEAKER_04: Uh Utah has three chances that they could slip up here.
27:29
SPEAKER_04: I mean, they play at Baylor, they play at home versus Kansas State, and then they go to Kansas.
27:34
SPEAKER_04: Kansas kind of on a on a downhill spiral right now, but that's pretty favorable.
27:39
SPEAKER_04: Baylor's still got a pretty good offense.
27:41
SPEAKER_04: You know, they're they're sneaky.
27:43
SPEAKER_04: The game's in Waco.
27:44
SPEAKER_04: I don't know if that helps you a ton, but and then Kansas State, you know, we've seen them uh just have a great game every once in a while.
27:52
SPEAKER_04: So Utah's a team to watch out for.
27:54
SPEAKER_04: Obviously, tune into that BYU Cincinnati game.
27:56
SPEAKER_04: That's gonna tell you a lot about who you're gonna play.
27:59
SPEAKER_04: I think BYU is gonna take care of business.
28:01
SPEAKER_04: That game is in Cincinnati, though, so that's a little tricky for the Couggs there.
28:06
SPEAKER_04: And then outside of that, I think Cincinnati plays TCU, and I think BYU also plays TCU.
28:12
SPEAKER_04: So TCU could play a little spoiler here.
28:14
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, uh, they have a lot of chances.
28:16
SPEAKER_04: Houston, I just don't see it, even though their schedule's very easy down the stretch.
28:20
SPEAKER_04: They play again, they play TCU.
28:22
SPEAKER_04: They also play Baylor.
28:24
SPEAKER_04: So I with how Houston's looking right now, I don't I don't really see it.
28:28
SPEAKER_04: So I yeah, I think you're I think you're gonna see BYU pull one out in Cincinnati and uh and Texas Tech went out, and and you'll see a rematch in the Big 12 championship.
28:38
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, but your road raiders need to stay locked in.
28:40
SPEAKER_01: You gotta take care of this.
28:42
SPEAKER_01: You know, I'm not so worried about the C ECF game here in Lubbock.
28:46
SPEAKER_01: I do fear the Mountaineers in our Morgantown a little bit.
28:49
SPEAKER_01: I I just I just wonder if there's gonna be some spooky juice going on there.
28:52
SPEAKER_01: They're gonna they I just hope that their fans are mostly checked out at that point.
28:57
SPEAKER_01: Um, so like, especially if they have no chance to make a bowl game at that point, if that's the case, then I I really hope it's just a dead atmosphere out there.
29:05
SPEAKER_01: Um, so then they don't have anything to play for.
29:07
SPEAKER_01: If they're playing for like bowl eligibility, I'm gonna be a little more nervous.
29:10
SPEAKER_04: So I I regret to inform you that West Virginia is currently four and six overall, two wins away from bowl eligibility.
29:19
SPEAKER_04: Yes, they are at Arizona State this weekend.
29:23
SPEAKER_04: No Sam Levitt, an opportunity for eight, and they've won two in a row.
29:28
SPEAKER_04: They have the opportunity for a third straight win, and then a bye week, much like Texas Tech has a bye week, and then they may be playing for bowl eligibility.
29:38
SPEAKER_04: So go Sun Devils, go Sun Devils this weekend, baby.
29:42
SPEAKER_04: Not and listen, that team, while they have a little juice to them, they've put in a new quarterback who's been pretty solid for them.
29:50
SPEAKER_04: Richard starting to build a little bit of momentum.
29:53
SPEAKER_04: But uh, you know, it it if you're just looking on paper, and if this team is motivated, which I believe Joey and his staff are going to 100% keep this team locked in for these last two games of the season and beyond, you shouldn't have an issue with either UCF or West Virginia.
30:09
SPEAKER_01: You're immensely more talented, like you should win.
30:12
SPEAKER_01: But this is college football, man.
30:14
SPEAKER_01: Things can be weird and hearts get broken.
30:16
SPEAKER_01: It's just it's the name, it's it's what's what's so fun about the sport.
30:20
SPEAKER_01: Um, but I mean, last last Big 12 thought.
30:23
SPEAKER_01: I mean, all in all, you know, we're as we end the in the near the end of the season, a solid year for the Big 12, dude.
30:29
SPEAKER_01: Like we we have 11 teams going bowling.
30:31
SPEAKER_01: And I know I know we try not to be too raw, raw conference conference, but obviously, in our predicament in today's uh college football world, you know, it's it's good to see that your conference home is thriving.
30:42
SPEAKER_01: So I would say we are quite healthy right now.
30:45
SPEAKER_01: We have some seriously strong teams.
30:46
SPEAKER_01: Like I really do think this conference deserves three teams this year in the playoff.
30:51
SPEAKER_01: Um, so I I especially with how bad the AC.
30:54
SPEAKER_01: I mean, I don't want to just say bad the okay, no, the AC is bad.
30:56
SPEAKER_01: Like they're given against other conferences, they've really suffered.
30:59
SPEAKER_01: So I I really think that's if there's gonna be a year to put three in, it could be this one.
31:03
SPEAKER_01: So a good, good, good showing so far.
31:05
SPEAKER_04: So let's look overall because we're in the national talks right now.
31:10
SPEAKER_04: We're number six.
31:11
SPEAKER_04: As per ush.
31:13
SPEAKER_04: We're very used to this as a football program.
31:16
SPEAKER_04: Uh we're number six in the latest CFP rankings.
31:20
SPEAKER_04: Can Texas Tech get a top four seed in a first round bye?
31:24
SPEAKER_06: Yes.
31:25
SPEAKER_04: Let's look, let's look at the people ranked above us right now.
31:29
SPEAKER_01: Let's let's look at it.
31:30
SPEAKER_04: Let's take a look.
31:31
SPEAKER_04: Ohio State, number one in the country per the CFP and the AP.
31:37
SPEAKER_04: They have games remaining UCLA Rutgers, and then they go to Michigan, which they have seemed to not have been able to beat under Ryan Day, and then the Big Ten Championship.
31:47
SPEAKER_04: Really potential for two losses there?
31:49
SPEAKER_04: Potential?
31:50
SPEAKER_04: We'll see what happens.
31:52
SPEAKER_04: Maybe Ohio State goes on a uh they're just a darn good team, though.
31:56
SPEAKER_04: So I they are at Michigan, which is a tricky one, and then the Big Ten Championship is also, you know, it's not gonna be a huge like resume killer if you lose in the Big Ten Championship.
32:06
SPEAKER_04: Like they're always gonna get the benefit of the doubt, especially if you're playing the number two team, which is Indiana right now.
32:11
SPEAKER_04: What a bookmark in that.
32:12
SPEAKER_04: I want to come back to that.
32:14
SPEAKER_04: Okay, we'll go to Indiana.
32:16
SPEAKER_04: Wisconsin left on the schedule.
32:18
SPEAKER_04: Luke Fickle back at Wisconsin, not being fired.
32:24
SPEAKER_04: Uh Indiana escaped Penn State last week.
32:28
SPEAKER_04: I don't know.
32:29
SPEAKER_04: Maybe Wisconsin's back.
32:31
SPEAKER_04: They showed some confidence in a coach that didn't deserve it, and he's gonna return next year.
32:35
SPEAKER_04: I don't know.
32:36
SPEAKER_04: They go to Purdue, they're gonna kill Purdue, and then they play the Big Ten championship.
32:41
SPEAKER_04: So uh really only potential for one loss, and that's the Big Ten championship.
32:48
SPEAKER_04: I I see Indiana for sure being a top four team as uh as we uh get into the final rankings here in a couple weeks.
32:55
SPEAKER_04: AM South Carolina this week.
32:58
SPEAKER_01: Yik.
32:59
SPEAKER_04: Sanford.
33:00
SPEAKER_04: Sanford, mighty, not Stanford, uh-oh.
33:04
SPEAKER_01: Stanford Sanford, the mighty, mighty Bulldogs.
33:08
SPEAKER_04: Are they Bulldogs?
33:09
SPEAKER_01: I think so.
33:11
SPEAKER_01: I think they just fired the coach, too.
33:13
SPEAKER_01: That's tough.
33:14
SPEAKER_01: I know.
33:15
SPEAKER_01: That's not I think I don't think they've won a single game.
33:17
SPEAKER_04: I wouldn't take Sanford in that uh in that upset loss matchup.
33:24
SPEAKER_04: And then they go to Texas, big game in Austin.
33:27
SPEAKER_04: They can't seem to beat the horns ever since the horns got back in the SEC, so that'll be an interesting one to watch.
33:33
SPEAKER_04: And they haven't won in anything, like no sports.
33:36
SPEAKER_04: Texas just beat them in like every sport.
33:38
SPEAKER_04: That's kind of funny.
33:40
SPEAKER_04: It's a little funny.
33:41
SPEAKER_04: It's it sucks though.
33:43
SPEAKER_04: You don't root for the horns in the SCPs, but it is funny seeing something.
33:47
SPEAKER_01: It's funny.
33:47
SPEAKER_01: It's kind of no love for the hor for the aggs either.
33:50
SPEAKER_04: So and then the SEC championship, which again will not be a major detriment to your resume by the committee standards.
33:58
SPEAKER_04: Your number four, Paul Feinbaum's Alabama.
34:01
SPEAKER_04: Um they played.
34:03
SPEAKER_01: I think he's a Tennessee man.
34:05
SPEAKER_04: Oh, I don't, he's an SEC guy.
34:06
SPEAKER_04: He doesn't care.
34:07
SPEAKER_04: As long as one of them's doing well, he's good.
34:09
SPEAKER_04: Well, actually, no, he needs more, he needs all of them to do 12 team, 12 SEC teams playoff.
34:18
SPEAKER_04: Interesting game this weekend against Oklahoma.
34:22
SPEAKER_04: Oklahoma, good team.
34:24
SPEAKER_04: They have to go to Tuscaloosa, so that's one to watch out for.
34:27
SPEAKER_01: But you kind of got a chair for Bama there.
34:31
SPEAKER_04: I know.
34:31
SPEAKER_04: You kind of do.
34:32
SPEAKER_04: You kind of do, but it was.
34:47
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, that one that one you win either way with that one, honestly.
34:50
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, or you lose either way.
34:51
SPEAKER_04: It just I mean, it depends on how you look at it.
34:54
SPEAKER_04: So at Auburn in the Iron Bowl, Auburn's toast, they're gonna get wrecked by Bama, and then potential SEC championship.
35:03
SPEAKER_04: Georgia, Texas this week in Athens, Charlotte, 49ers, baby.
35:10
SPEAKER_01: Charlotte's bad, I think.
35:11
SPEAKER_04: Charlotte, they're yeah, they're bad.
35:14
SPEAKER_04: But then they go to Georgia Tech for the final game of the season.
35:18
SPEAKER_01: Oh, that's spicy, dude.
35:20
SPEAKER_04: Spicy.
35:21
SPEAKER_04: They go to Georgia Tech.
35:23
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, and Georgia, we've seen them sputter at times.
35:26
SPEAKER_01: So they're they're on broad jail a lot, watch, so yeah.
35:29
SPEAKER_04: And then, you know, one of these teams is not gonna make the SEC championship.
35:33
SPEAKER_04: AM Bama, Georgia.
35:34
SPEAKER_04: One of these teams is not gonna be there.
35:36
SPEAKER_04: So again, you don't get that extra boost potentially that you may need to get over a 11-1 Texas Tech, you know?
35:45
SPEAKER_04: So yeah, that's all I'm saying.
35:46
SPEAKER_01: No, it's it's really funny.
35:47
SPEAKER_01: I feel like Texas AM and Texas Texas are actually having very parallel seasons in a lot of ways.
35:52
SPEAKER_01: Um, you know, because we're finally both teams are finally breaking through.
35:56
SPEAKER_01: And additionally, a conference championship matters more to these teams than other suspects.
36:02
SPEAKER_01: Like, we I think we both really want to add that trophy to the case just as badly.
36:06
SPEAKER_01: So I think that's the first eye on the prize.
36:08
SPEAKER_01: I don't think either team is looking past that weekend.
36:11
SPEAKER_01: Um, and I think obviously that plays to our success.
36:15
SPEAKER_01: Like, I think I because I really think a chance conference championship matters a lot more to a Texas Tech fan than it does a Bama fan, obviously.
36:21
SPEAKER_01: So um that that'll that'll be interesting to see unfold.
36:24
SPEAKER_01: But while we're on conference championships, real quick, um I feel like teams teams should should enter like a freeze whoever they go to a conference championship.
36:35
SPEAKER_01: Um because like the way the system's set up is there's tons of outlarges who are not playing in conference championship games.
36:44
SPEAKER_01: So should you be at all be punished for losing the conference championship game?
36:49
SPEAKER_01: To me, that doesn't really seem fair because like you have these other teams sitting at home who will not move.
36:55
SPEAKER_01: They can actually maybe even only move up at that point.
36:58
SPEAKER_01: Um, and while the team that's playing for a conference title, if they get blown out or whatever, they could suffer greatly from it.
37:05
SPEAKER_01: So I kind of feel like it should kind of enter a bit of a freeze.
37:10
SPEAKER_01: And the only movement that should happen should be maybe like a switch between that team and the team they lost to, or whatever it is, you know, or the team they beat.
37:18
SPEAKER_01: You know what I'm saying?
37:20
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, I don't I don't think the committee has shown that they are going to judge a Big Ten or SEC championship loss as a really, you know, uh a dark spot on your resume.
37:31
SPEAKER_04: Like I think they're gonna look at if it's Indiana, Ohio State, whoever loses that game in the Big Ten championship, they're still probably gonna keep them where they are.
37:40
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, maybe drop them down one or two seeds.
37:42
SPEAKER_04: But I I think if both of those teams go completely undefeated and they end up in the Big Ten championship, that's two of your top four seeds for sure, despite one of them losing in the final you know game leading up to it.
37:56
SPEAKER_04: Same kind of goes for Bama AM.
37:58
SPEAKER_04: You kind of need one of them to lose before, you know, and that's just kind of how this plays out, you know.
38:03
SPEAKER_04: As you lose later on in the season, the loss affects you more versus the beginning of the season.
38:08
SPEAKER_04: Way more.
38:10
SPEAKER_04: Bama lost to a horrible Florida State team.
38:12
SPEAKER_01: UT lost a horrible Florida team.
38:14
SPEAKER_04: Exactly.
38:15
SPEAKER_04: And that's the frustrating part about the SEC, and even some teams in the Big Ten Oregon, then those this is the frustrating part is gonna be yeah, the brands that aren't making the championship game, that should be a punishable offense.
38:29
SPEAKER_01: It should.
38:30
SPEAKER_01: It should.
38:30
SPEAKER_04: It's not a lot in the in the committee's eyes.
38:33
SPEAKER_04: Like I'm telling you, if we get a nine and three Texas, if Texas beats one of Georgia or AM, they're gonna make the freaking playoff.
38:40
SPEAKER_04: They're gonna do it because the the playoff committee respects that brand and will give them the benefit of the doubt for one of the lower seeds.
38:48
SPEAKER_04: They're just gonna do it and call it what it is, but I I think it's bull, and I think other teams deserve uh a little more praise there.
38:57
SPEAKER_01: I really don't know if missing out on a buy spot is the worst thing in the world to a Texas Tech.
39:02
SPEAKER_01: Like, I I I do think that there may be even something to be said about hosting a playoff game that's gonna be utterly wild, and then you get a playoff game under your belt, you know, a big, big, big moment game under your belt at home, even.
39:19
SPEAKER_01: So I I do hope that I do wonder if that maybe dims the lights a bit rather than going right into it out of a buy game.
39:26
SPEAKER_01: You know what I mean?
39:28
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, I think a lot of a lot of teams within their fan bases are discussing this exact same thing for any you know top 10 CFP seed right now.
39:36
SPEAKER_04: Like, do you actually want to buy or do you want to play, get uh have a home game, have your fans juiced up, and then ride that high into the next one, you know?
39:46
SPEAKER_04: Like obviously there's injuries that can potentially happen.
39:51
SPEAKER_04: There's you know, and you're just playing a good team that made the playoff.
39:55
SPEAKER_04: Like that's always worrisome.
39:57
SPEAKER_04: So I I think I tend to side on hey, get a top four seed if you can, and I'll take that over a round playoff game where you're playing in Lubbock, but obviously a first a home game for the playoff in Lubbock, Texas would be awesome, and I would be hyped up for it, and I would take Texas Tech in a lot of those situations because of our fan base and because of our home uh home field advantage and environment.
40:23
SPEAKER_04: So, I mean, really, when you're looking at this, you have to win out, obviously, if you're Texas Tech to get a top four seed.
40:32
SPEAKER_04: You're gonna need one of Ohio State or Indiana to get upset by a lower level team, the most likely of which is Michigan beating Ohio State and then losing again in the Big Ten championship to where they have two straight losses, and then you potentially have a Texas Tech move above them, uh, and then just utter SEC chaos.
40:51
SPEAKER_04: Like you don't need the good teams beating the good teams, you need the bad teams beating the good teams, you need South Carolina to upset AM.
40:59
SPEAKER_04: You need Auburn.
41:01
SPEAKER_04: You need I know, but you need Auburn to potentially upset you know Alabama or something like that.
41:06
SPEAKER_04: Like that's the kind of stuff you need if you're gonna get a top four seed.
41:10
SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.
41:11
SPEAKER_01: Um, and I think unfortunately we need UT to upset AM um in uh in Austin.
41:16
SPEAKER_01: I think I think I think unfortunately that would that would have to be a case, as much as we don't want the horns to win that game.
41:21
SPEAKER_01: Um, but dude, uh all in all, I think I think honestly the the only truly bad situation in our shoes right now is A, of course, missing the playoff.
41:30
SPEAKER_01: Like the season goes horribly wrong.
41:31
SPEAKER_01: But B um having to go to someone else's home.
41:35
SPEAKER_01: I think that's the worst case scenario in our current situation.
41:39
SPEAKER_01: I really think I'd be nearly equally happy with hosting versus a buy.
41:43
SPEAKER_01: I really do.
41:44
SPEAKER_01: I think the only thing I'd be really upset with a buy is if we get uh like BSed, if they pull something over us, where it's like, are you kidding me?
41:50
SPEAKER_01: You put them over us, you know, like where it's like some Mickey Mouse bull crap.
41:54
SPEAKER_01: I mean that literally, you know, like I just uh get the get the bigger brand up.
41:58
SPEAKER_01: But all in all, man, I think the playoff picture, it's pretty fair to tech right now.
42:02
SPEAKER_01: I mean, you you did lose to an unranked Arizona State team, branded without your with your backup quarterback, but in a loss is a loss.
42:08
SPEAKER_01: You're only as good as your record says it is.
42:10
SPEAKER_01: So it's it's just unfortunately the reality we have to live with right now.
42:13
SPEAKER_01: But dude, still a season of our dreams, and there's still a lot more to go, hopefully.
42:18
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, and I mean, you know, uh the committee obviously views you pretty high, even though you did lose uh to an unranked team at their house with your backup quarterback, so they have taken that into account.
42:27
SPEAKER_04: You're higher in the CFP poll than you are the AP right now.
42:30
SPEAKER_04: I mean, the CFP committee is is looking at Texas Tech and they are favoring them, I think, more so than you know, giving them uh a bad swing of things.
42:41
SPEAKER_04: So yeah, we'll just have to see.
42:42
SPEAKER_04: There's a lot of football left, there's a lot of stuff that can happen.
42:44
SPEAKER_04: You obviously need to focus on your your two remaining Big 12 regular season games, and then you whoever ends up in Arlington, and hopefully you end up in Arlington, you're playing that game, and then we're talking about a whole lot more as we go forward.
42:56
SPEAKER_04: But it's fun to be in this discussion right now.
42:58
SPEAKER_01: How about yeah?
42:59
SPEAKER_01: Absolutely, dude.
42:59
SPEAKER_01: I mean, and it's it I don't think we were expecting to be in this discussion for a while either.
43:03
SPEAKER_01: I mean, it's just so great for everything to be coming together like it is.
43:05
SPEAKER_01: Um, and Joe McGuire is just doing one heck of a job, dude.
43:09
SPEAKER_01: Um, just just obviously hats off to him.
43:11
SPEAKER_01: And I think it's funny that you know we keep talking about like we should go take care, take care of business.
43:14
SPEAKER_01: We have not even talked about the knights of UCF like at all.
43:18
SPEAKER_01: I think probably a big reason why is you are favored by 24 points in Vegas against this night team at home, and that is probably even taking consideration our red zone lows.
43:28
SPEAKER_01: Like we, you know, like we we are beating every team by 20 plus, but uh BYU, we we kind of like you said, we kind of struggle to paint the board, but dude, it's gonna be the splattering.
43:37
SPEAKER_01: I'm gonna knock on wood real quick, but you're gonna crush this frost team.
43:42
SPEAKER_04: Look, I think the thing that you look for is a potential come down game.
43:46
SPEAKER_04: You know, you just had an insane week in Lubbock, Texas, with college game day, so much motivation.
43:53
SPEAKER_04: Patrick Mahomes in the house, Pat McAfee and Kirk Kerbstreet talking you up all week, and you know.
44:00
SPEAKER_04: Sometimes after that, these guys are a little less motivated and there's a little bit of a come down.
44:04
SPEAKER_04: And that's what you need to avoid.
44:06
SPEAKER_04: This is where the coaching staff comes in clutch and treats this week just like every other week.
44:11
SPEAKER_04: And I think that's what Texas Tech and their coaching staff have been doing all week, despite even coming off a lost Arizona State, despite coming off a big win against Utah.
44:20
SPEAKER_04: We've seen this team and this defense perform week in and week out.
44:23
SPEAKER_04: So I'm not really worried about that piece of it.
44:26
SPEAKER_04: UCF is just like they're just a turnstile of quarterback this year.
44:30
SPEAKER_04: They've played like four or five different guys, and uh they just can't seem to get a consistency at that position, which is unfortunate for them.
44:37
SPEAKER_04: But um, yeah, and they're down to I think one healthy running back.
44:41
SPEAKER_04: So yeah, it's just it's it's gonna be tough when you look at these two teams on paper.
44:47
SPEAKER_04: Um, but again, they're still kind of fighting for bowl eligibility here.
44:51
SPEAKER_04: So they have four, you know, they have four wins.
44:53
SPEAKER_04: If they can get two more, that would be a big win for Scott Frost and that team with a complete rebuild kind of facing them.
44:59
SPEAKER_04: Uh, so there's obviously motivate different motivations coming into the game.
45:04
SPEAKER_04: Um, they have a really good pass rush, apparently.
45:06
SPEAKER_04: So one of the best in the Big 12.
45:08
SPEAKER_04: That hasn't necessarily helped them in the win category this year, but it's uh it's definitely something to watch out for, especially with a hobbled quarterback in Barron Morton.
45:17
SPEAKER_04: Um, and I I think you just have to destroy this team on the ground.
45:21
SPEAKER_04: You just have to have a big Cam Dickey, Jacoby Williams day, and uh, you know, scores, score early and score touchdowns early, and just make it, you know, to where Barron doesn't have to do a lot.
45:32
SPEAKER_04: Maybe they get out of the game and you just make this, you know, a thromping and Lovick for on scene.
45:37
SPEAKER_01: Absolutely, absolutely beat him, beat him in the first half, and then you know, just control the clock and maybe even get Mitch in if you can, you know, like just make make it a restful game, you know, before you head off to before you head into the to the bye week and and on to Morgan Town.
45:51
SPEAKER_01: So, but dude, uh it's it's been really nice as a tech fan.
45:54
SPEAKER_01: We're really not used to this feeling of just not even having to be nervous, you know, moving into games.
45:59
SPEAKER_01: Like, and I think I think the reason why that's the case is just it just it's just a it an attribute to our defense.
46:06
SPEAKER_01: Like you can only feel good this good about a football team if we're defenses.
46:10
SPEAKER_01: Because I mean we've seen the other side, like we've seen the other side where we've had the country's best offense, but we'll still lose nearly every single game.
46:17
SPEAKER_01: So it'll still be nervous watching the entire time.
46:20
SPEAKER_01: So I I again I have no fears.
46:23
SPEAKER_01: I think the Knights are in for a whooping, and I think the Jones is gonna be rocking for this for senior day.
46:28
SPEAKER_01: You know, it's gonna be not only just the football players' last game as seniors, but so many of those students in the stands will be seniors.
46:34
SPEAKER_01: So it's just it's gonna be a raucous environment, um, and probably a lot better of an environment for their senior day than ours was, but yeah.
46:41
SPEAKER_04: Go celebrate Baron Morton, go celebrate Jacob Rodriguez, go celebrate David Bailey, Romelo Haidt, Lee Hunter, all of those guys that um whether they were here for a year, whether they were here for five years, they all kind of deserve um, you know, the the praise and everything and to be celebrated on senior nights.
46:57
SPEAKER_04: So hopefully that's enough motivation for them to just go out and kick butt.
47:00
SPEAKER_04: Um let's talk about basketball before we get out of here.
47:04
SPEAKER_04: So big matchup, Texas Tech and Illinois in Champaign last night.
47:10
SPEAKER_04: Uh Texas Texas Tech did not come out with a win.
47:14
SPEAKER_04: It was a close game.
47:15
SPEAKER_04: You know, you made a uh pretty big comeback in the second half after being down, I think, 13 at half.
47:21
SPEAKER_04: Uh my first thought is this basketball team will look much different in December.
47:30
SPEAKER_04: This basketball team will look much different in February.
47:35
SPEAKER_04: This basketball team will look much different in March.
47:38
SPEAKER_04: With how college basketball works and getting so many different players and so many different you know pieces to build around, you need that continuity.
47:47
SPEAKER_04: And unfortunately, Texas Tech has had to deal with some early season injuries and have not had enough time to build that continuity.
47:54
SPEAKER_04: And you can tell after watching that game against a good team, Illinois is a good team.
47:58
SPEAKER_04: Like that is I I I give a lot of compliments.
48:02
SPEAKER_04: That team is going to do a lot of good stuff this year.
48:04
SPEAKER_04: I don't know if they're uh a top five team, but they definitely look like a top ten team in this game.
48:09
SPEAKER_04: Granted, this game was at home, you know, it was it was at their place.
48:14
SPEAKER_04: Definitely, you know, you can get a good team early on.
48:17
SPEAKER_04: We've seen just last year, if you've listened to our Houston recap in the in the offseason pod, Houston lost three non-conference games last year, made it to the national championship.
48:28
SPEAKER_04: But they played one seed Auburn, two seed Alabama, and a San Diego State team that ended up making the NCAA tournament.
48:36
SPEAKER_04: Those are the three teams that Houston lost to in the non-conference last year.
48:40
SPEAKER_04: So this does so much good for you because you're seeing a good team early on and you're playing against a good team early on, and you're figuring out what works and what doesn't work.
48:51
SPEAKER_04: So I that's what I'll have to say about you know, a loss here.
48:55
SPEAKER_04: Some people, you know, want to continue with a cupcake schedule in the non-conference.
48:58
SPEAKER_04: These games are good for teams, especially teams that want to do stuff in March.
49:02
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I mean, these are big boy games.
49:04
SPEAKER_01: You know, these are games that serious teams play.
49:07
SPEAKER_01: And if you want to see serious glares in your team, you gotta play serious teams.
49:11
SPEAKER_01: Um so it I I'm with you, dude.
49:14
SPEAKER_01: I didn't walk away from that game disappointed.
49:16
SPEAKER_01: I mean, disappointed you didn't get a win.
49:17
SPEAKER_01: That's it's just obviously you want to win every game.
49:19
SPEAKER_01: But you mean you're you're in a like I said, you're in a very tight game, especially at the end.
49:24
SPEAKER_01: And you're in a great, great stadium, a great arena, I should say.
49:32
SPEAKER_01: I'm really happy that we played it.
49:33
SPEAKER_01: I think that we have a lot of footage to go back and look at, find out what we're what we need to work on.
49:37
SPEAKER_01: And I know that this this staff is going to lock in and figure it out.
49:42
SPEAKER_01: And I mean, obviously, I don't know if you really even touched on it, but JT Toppin had an awesome game.
49:45
SPEAKER_01: I mean, he's unbelievable.
49:47
SPEAKER_01: He's showing that he's the possibly the best player in the country.
49:50
SPEAKER_01: He's so good.
49:51
SPEAKER_01: So it's just you know, you're you're gonna find you're gonna find your flaws and you're gonna polish them, dude.
49:56
SPEAKER_01: The only time the only time we're gonna get more upset about these Zelves is whenever you start seeing big flow big 12 logos on the on the other jerseys.
50:02
SPEAKER_01: So that's but we're not there yet, man.
50:04
SPEAKER_01: We still got a lot of time till that happens.
50:06
SPEAKER_01: So I'm I'm happy to see this happening, dude.
50:08
SPEAKER_01: You're still gonna be a very high-ranked team.
50:10
SPEAKER_01: You know, the the AP's not gonna punish you for this.
50:13
SPEAKER_01: So it's it's gonna be it's gonna be really fun to see uh how we come up here on the next week and as we start doing these fun tournaments.
50:19
SPEAKER_04: JT Toppin 35, 11, three blocks, three steals, three steals.
50:25
SPEAKER_04: Goodness.
50:26
SPEAKER_04: Insane.
50:27
SPEAKER_04: I mean, yeah, national player of the year contender 1,000 percent, and uh showed it on the biggest stage against a really, really good Illinois team.
50:35
SPEAKER_04: Um, definitely, you know, not what you want to see out of Christian Anderson.
50:39
SPEAKER_04: I thought he was not as aggressive as he needed to be on the offensive end.
50:43
SPEAKER_04: Pretty good defensively, but uh there were just times where I thought he should have driven in, try to get a foul, you know, just play a little more aggressively.
50:51
SPEAKER_04: He seemed very passive on the offensive side.
50:53
SPEAKER_04: Uh a lot of the fan base is kind of already out on Tyree Bryan.
50:56
SPEAKER_04: I think that's pretty unfair for uh a guy in his third game of the season against a really good Illinois team.
51:02
SPEAKER_04: So uh got in foul trouble early, never really got in the flow of things.
51:05
SPEAKER_04: He hasn't had a terrific start to the year, but again, this is this is pieces that are coming into your program after playing at a lower level, starting to get up, you know, playing with really good players, trying to understand how everybody plays together is a big piece of this.
51:19
SPEAKER_04: So I'll give him a little more time.
51:21
SPEAKER_04: And uh Donovan Atwell just needs to he needs to shoot the ball.
51:23
SPEAKER_04: He's a great shooter, he just needs to shoot the ball a little more and be more aggressive.
51:26
SPEAKER_04: Again, I thought all three of these guys were a little too passive when they were on the floor.
51:30
SPEAKER_04: Um, and you just need a little more, a little more oomph to it when you're going on the road.
51:35
SPEAKER_04: So it'll get better.
51:36
SPEAKER_04: Everybody will get uh better, they'll start understanding each other more and and their spots and everything like that.
51:42
SPEAKER_04: So uh final piece to point out we're still without Luke Bamboye and Josiah Mosley, which are going to be two big pieces for this team, and a lot of size for you.
51:54
SPEAKER_04: Illinois is a big team, they got a lot of big dudes, you know, two seven-footers usually one was out um on Tuesday against Texas Tech, but uh two seven true seven-footers, you had big guys at your forward positions, and you just looked a little small.
52:10
SPEAKER_04: And without, you know, one of the best shot blockers in college basketball in Bamboye, and even Josiah Mosley, who's a six's eight, you know, lengthy forward, you're you know, you could use these guys.
52:21
SPEAKER_04: So definitely not an excuse.
52:22
SPEAKER_04: You could have won this game without them, but it's um it's definitely something to point out.
52:27
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, absolutely, dude.
52:28
SPEAKER_01: And I mean, now now you have uh some get right games in front of you.
52:31
SPEAKER_01: You got you got the Cleveland Panthers in front of you here.
52:33
SPEAKER_01: So I I mean you're gonna you're gonna have you're gonna get back home in the USA, get right, and like I said, kind of get ready for peace week.
52:39
SPEAKER_01: So it's uh it's gonna be it's gonna be a fun ride, man.
52:42
SPEAKER_01: It's just starting.
52:43
SPEAKER_01: It's just starting.
52:44
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, you you head to the Bahamas here pretty soon.
52:46
SPEAKER_04: And uh not the Bahamas.
52:48
SPEAKER_04: Texas Tech uh doesn't know.
52:50
SPEAKER_04: Maybe maybe don't go to the Bahamas.
52:53
SPEAKER_04: Is it Atlantis?
52:54
SPEAKER_04: Is it Atlantis?
52:56
SPEAKER_04: All we know is that Mark Adams is not the head coach anymore.
53:00
SPEAKER_04: That's all we know.
53:02
SPEAKER_04: Uh and and Graham McCaslin is the head coach.
53:04
SPEAKER_04: Uh, it is interesting talking about those that Bahama week.
53:07
SPEAKER_04: You have two games.
53:08
SPEAKER_04: You're for sure playing Wake Forest, who took Michigan down to the wire um on Tuesday.
53:13
SPEAKER_04: Pretty good team.
53:14
SPEAKER_04: And then you may play Purdue, who is the number two team, I think, or number one team in the country right now.
53:20
SPEAKER_04: So another friggin' get right game.
53:22
SPEAKER_04: If you I mean, Texas Tech has an opportunity to make up that loss with a with another big win here in a couple days.
53:28
SPEAKER_01: Let's please be healthy for it all.
53:30
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, let's get these guys right, stay healthy, get healthy.
53:34
SPEAKER_04: Um, shout out Keenan Evans.
53:36
SPEAKER_04: Sad news, he tore his left Achilles yesterday.
53:39
SPEAKER_04: Um, he's playing for a Greek team, I believe, um, right now.
53:44
SPEAKER_04: And he just had, I mean, he just had a major injury, and it took him, I think I saw an article, it was like 580 days he was out recovering from his first horrific injury.
53:54
SPEAKER_04: Comes back, plays two minutes, tears his Achilles.
53:57
SPEAKER_04: I mean, it's freaking brutal and it's awful for him, and I hate it.
54:01
SPEAKER_04: I mean, it's just it sucks.
54:03
SPEAKER_04: It really sucks.
54:04
SPEAKER_04: These guys are uh they spend a lot of time and a lot of effort, and he's gone the overseas route and he's made a good career for himself.
54:11
SPEAKER_04: It's just really, really unfortunate that he uh he keeps, you know, his body is not complying with him right now.
54:16
SPEAKER_04: And so um, you know, if he decides to continue going on, uh he's got a hell of a recovery ahead of him, and that's just after being out for almost two years.
54:25
SPEAKER_01: So dang, dude.
54:26
SPEAKER_01: That sucks for a great sucks for him.
54:28
SPEAKER_04: So shout out Keenan Evans.
54:30
SPEAKER_04: That guy's a red raider legend, we're all rooting for him.
54:32
SPEAKER_01: Absolutely, dude.
54:33
SPEAKER_01: Hall of Famer for us.
54:35
SPEAKER_04: All right, man.
54:36
SPEAKER_04: Song of the week.
54:38
SPEAKER_01: Steven Song of the Week, man.
54:40
SPEAKER_01: This was the easy song of the week for me, dude, because it is, you know, they had we had all this teasing going on all dang week about a certain king of a certain genre, like and with Jones ATT Stadium involvement.
54:55
SPEAKER_01: I thought that George freaking straight was gonna be the guest picker on College Band instead of Patrick Mahomes for some reason, but it was simply an announcement for a stadium visit, which is awesome.
55:06
SPEAKER_01: I'm actually probably gonna look at going.
55:09
SPEAKER_01: Um, and uh George Strait going to ATT Stadium.
55:11
SPEAKER_01: So I'm gonna go ahead and do a George Strait song, dude.
55:13
SPEAKER_01: I mean, I feel like you can always do a George Strait song, he's the greatest ever do it.
55:17
SPEAKER_01: Um and I'm gonna go ahead and reflect how we're all feeling right now.
55:20
SPEAKER_01: I'm gonna go with George Strait, Here for a Good Time, because that is the mood right now, man.
55:29
SPEAKER_01: And that's from the album Here for a Good Time from 2011.
55:33
SPEAKER_01: Um, so dude, I am I'm spinning some King George right now.
55:37
SPEAKER_01: Please play me some Here for a Good Time.
55:40
SPEAKER_05: I'm here for a long time.
55:43
SPEAKER_05: I'm here for a good time.
55:47
SPEAKER_05: Go bring on the sun chatter.
55:54
SPEAKER_04: Very nice.
55:55
SPEAKER_04: I put out a top 10 list from the podcast.
55:58
SPEAKER_01: Oh, I can't believe you didn't include that one.
56:00
SPEAKER_01: That was that's an interesting choice.
56:01
SPEAKER_04: Listen, you sound like everybody else right now.
56:05
SPEAKER_04: Actually, everybody was pretty pretty much in agreement, but that was a good list.
56:09
SPEAKER_05: It wasn't a bad list.
56:10
SPEAKER_04: This is the hardest top 10 list of single artist to make.
56:15
SPEAKER_04: You go down that line and it's there's straight up volume, and it's all good.
56:21
SPEAKER_04: Like there's not there's not a bad one.
56:23
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and quick quick thought before we get to yours.
56:25
SPEAKER_01: You know, anytime people, any anytime anyone tries to argue, oh, he's not the king of the country.
56:30
SPEAKER_01: I just I'm just like, there's just no compare, like, even if you don't think his songs are the best, there's just there's no comparing the sheer volume of good songs, like no one comes close to the volume of good music that comes from George Strait.
56:44
SPEAKER_01: Like every single album has a song that went number one on the radio, and that's not even an exaggeration.
56:49
SPEAKER_01: So it's just like the sheer volume is outstanding and unmatched.
56:54
SPEAKER_04: Yep.
56:55
SPEAKER_04: No, sorry, good point.
56:56
SPEAKER_04: No, you're good.
56:57
SPEAKER_04: You're good.
56:58
SPEAKER_04: I I I feel you, I feel the same way.
57:01
SPEAKER_04: All right, I'm switching it up last minute again.
57:04
SPEAKER_04: You've done this to me two weeks in a while.
57:06
SPEAKER_04: I have to do a George Strait song.
57:08
SPEAKER_04: Absolutely.
57:10
SPEAKER_01: I can't believe it's taking this long for the pod.
57:12
SPEAKER_04: Well, we've done George Strait before.
57:14
SPEAKER_04: I've definitely done George Strait before.
57:15
SPEAKER_04: I think you did you did Oceanfront Property the other week.
57:19
SPEAKER_01: I did, I did, you're right, you're right, yeah.
57:20
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, yeah.
57:21
SPEAKER_01: So I'll just pull him around every once in a while.
57:23
SPEAKER_01: It's like he's he's important.
57:24
SPEAKER_04: Fine, I'll do another George Strait song.
57:26
SPEAKER_04: What do you want from me?
57:28
SPEAKER_04: Um, I'm gonna go with the fireman.
57:32
SPEAKER_04: That's my song of the week.
57:35
SPEAKER_04: That's my name.
57:36
SPEAKER_04: Good banger.
57:37
SPEAKER_04: One of his like really up and going and go dancing songs.
57:42
SPEAKER_04: It's a good one.
57:43
SPEAKER_04: Also, shout out shout out to our guy Corby, who probably did one of the best karaoke performances of all time with the fireman.
57:50
SPEAKER_04: Legendary.
57:52
SPEAKER_04: That's my song of the week.
57:53
SPEAKER_04: That's my name, the fireman, George Straight.
57:56
SPEAKER_05: Well, I was down there in about an hour or so with a little mouth and mouse.
58:01
SPEAKER_05: She was ready to roll on the fire.
58:04
SPEAKER_05: That's my name.
58:06
SPEAKER_01: What a kick butt.
58:07
SPEAKER_01: You got you got young George, I got old George.
58:10
SPEAKER_01: Just a good ender to this magnificent episode of ours.
58:14
SPEAKER_04: Just fantastic.
58:16
SPEAKER_04: Vibes are immaculate right now.
58:18
SPEAKER_04: Um, all right, buddy.
58:20
SPEAKER_04: Let's get out of here.
58:21
SPEAKER_04: We'll end it with some plugs, like we always do.
58:24
SPEAKER_04: You can follow Tristan on Twitter.
58:25
SPEAKER_04: Tristan's at Tristy Mick.
58:27
SPEAKER_04: I'm at L underscore S underscore Rodriguez.
58:29
SPEAKER_04: Pod on Twitter at Talking Tech Pod.
58:32
SPEAKER_04: Songs of the Week playlist, Spotify, Apple Music.
58:35
SPEAKER_04: We always appreciate you guys listening.
58:37
SPEAKER_04: Always Wreck Em Tech.
58:39
SPEAKER_02: Wreck'em Tech.
58:41
SPEAKER_02: Uh Wow.
58:42
SPEAKER_02: First of all, uh got a lot of respect for Steven and Tristan.
58:47
SPEAKER_03: Uh their program, tough guys, just uh a lot of fun.
58:51
SPEAKER_03: This is wild.
58:53
SPEAKER_03: When I walked in and I knew this would be an awesome podcast, and these guys have been tremendous.
59:02
SPEAKER_03: I love you, and I can't wait for this journey.
59:04
SPEAKER_03: I would like to thank uh Steven and Tristan.
59:07
SPEAKER_03: This is incredible.
59:08
SPEAKER_03: These guys have a passion and a love for this school.