Latest / In The Pocket / Ep. 8: All eyes on Kalamazoo for the Bronco-Bronco showdown

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Ep. 8: All eyes on Kalamazoo for the Bronco-Bronco showdown · In The Pocket

• Andrew Graham: Hello and welcome to another episode of In the Pocket, a college football podcast focusing on the state of Michigan. I am your host, Andrew Graham, or one of your hosts, I suppose. I've sort of informally taken over these duties. I am here today with Connor Irgood once more. Connor, how you doing? Connor Earegood: Doing well, doing well. It's a beautiful Thursday morning in the beautiful city of Flint, Michigan. Andrew Graham: Yeah, if people have noticed or not noticed since we're still working on getting video up, but I'll share with everyone that Connor is in a different location. He's in a secondary location today within his home, with better lighting. But W with enough bricks in the kitchen. in the kitchen, Tristan like a stir fry. but no, we have actual football to talk about, not just make Migos references and whatnot. the the big game of the week is obviously Western Michigan hosting Boise State, three thirty, ESPN two, Waldo Stadium. Gonna have Tom Lugan Bill, Jay Alter on the call. You got sideline reporters, they're bringing in the platform and the press box for more seating. gonna be cozy. I made sure Bodz didn't give me a corner seat because it's so cozy. He he's got my back, so I'll I'll shout out to Bodz Western's SID here. but I think the first place we have to start with this game is that it's kind of a quasi playoff elimination game. Like I wouldn't go so far as to say it's definitive that the loser of this game is out, but they would need a lot to go right for them along with winning out. I just kind of Connor I'll throw it to you here of like the playoff stakes of it all. And as someone who is kind of just like truly a neutral third party to this game, like just that kind of vibe. Connor Earegood: Yeah, I mean it's it's two teams that we've seen really good ball from some f so far and it's easy three weeks into this season to say like someone's gonna be a C F P contender or potentially be the G five team. These are the games that decide. Like it is so fortunate that this is on the schedule and this works out that we get to see both of these teams against each other. that doesn't happen all the time. now it you know, if if whoever wins this needs to run with it and you know, these are probably the two teams you feel good about their chances. Maybe Tulsa's in that conversation. New Mexico, i you know, could be they played Oklahoma pretty tight. Like, you know, there there's good G five teams that are all all, you know, in in the hunt, right? you gotta win if you have the baton and you have to, you know, represent yourself well. you don't want a crummy G five team making it through. So that's where it's you know, it I I I think with this Western team and sort of the not hangover, that's not the right term, but the sand in the mouth a little bit from that Michigan game. and and Andrew Graham: That's a fair way. That's a fair way. Connor Earegood: then th this Boise and this Boise team definitely feels the same way about that Oregon game. you know, that they let that slip. So these are two really good teams that hung with really talented Big Ten teams, and and showed no mercy, no no qualms about it. They they showed up and and hooped. so I'm I'm very excited to see how these teams like pretty easy to get up for this one. Game day didn't, and I know you have thoughts on that. Andrew Graham: we will get there. Connor Earegood: But it's pretty easy to get up for this game and and that's gonna be exciting ball. This is what college football's about, even if the the current construction doesn't always reward it. Andrew Graham: Absolutely. And like to me it's it's a very cool sample of like if nothing else, it's a good chance for I mean, Western Michigan's only gonna end up on national T V otherwise this season for Maxon and like the conference title game gets an ESPN two slot or whatever, 'cause there's just like eight games that whole weekend. and so I think there's Aside from the football of it all, this is also just a very big stage for Western Michigan athletics and Kalamazoo and I mean, like, he's not there anymore, but I know that's something that Dan Bartholomew when he was A D and like sort of saw this game as a as a thing for that where not only is it this elevating thing for our football program for G six football, correct you there, it's group of six now since the Pac twelve is incl includes Boise State and Colorado State. Connor Earegood: yeah. Included. Andrew Graham: My favorite fact about the new Pac twelve is every team in it is something state, but I digress. it's just a big weekend in Kalamazoo because you have this sort of anchor event. And I think that's the thing people from afar don't have sight of. Of you can you can poo-poo the, you know, these teams don't matter, they're not very good. Like, yeah, if they went and played Ohio State, they'd lose. If they went and played Miami, they'd probably lose. Like it took an Herculean effort to be close with a mid Michigan team in the first game. Oregon's maybe not as good as we think. Still incredibly talented, still good performances, don't get me wrong. But like, yeah, we understand there's levels to this. Well, still recognizing that what's going on in Kalamazoo matters just as much to everyone there who cares about Western football. as what's going on in Miami, Florida, as what's going on in Columbus, Ohio, as what's going on in Austin, Texas, as what's going on in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, like the give a shit factor doesn't change because it's Mac football or FCS football or D2 football. And that's the thing that I think, like to move to my game day stump here, that's what pisses me off about not game day or ESPN, but like all the the SEC fans being like, no one gives a damn. It's like, well, you're wrong. Fewer people maybe give a damn correct. But then you're just eliding the actual conversation here. And I think that's where the debate just like bothers me. Because what we're really looking at with the whole game day not going, they haven't been to a non-power four since I think end of 23, 24, or something like that. It's been a while. And so I think it's I I look at it through three lenses. There's the college game day that was and used to be. There's the college game day as it is now, and then there's what we want college game day to be going forward, which is a more that's the most fraught and d disparate part of it. And I think what I get to is what it was, and what made so many people love that show, is, and I think people are right about pointing out that Lee Corso provided this, was like it it was it cared about the soul of college football as a national thing. Connor Earegood: Yeah. Andrew Graham: It cared about the fact that this was something that brought together a fishermen in you know, Tacoma, Washington, a steelworker in Birmingham, Alabama, and a teacher in Brooklyn would all care about the same thing. At some level. Different teams, different levels, different alma maters, whatever, but they all cared about college football. And the more you deny that that's true at the FCS, at the Mac levels, at at D two levels, you're you're just Selling out what made the show great. Now, that is ESPN's right. It is a television product that ESPN owns and is using to sell its own TV products. Like college game day being shoulder programming to promote like college football games throughout the day is like ostensibly the point of the show. But they did such a good job for so long of balancing that obvious economic desire. With the understanding that they were the show that could show up to pick a town and make millions of Americans go, Wow, they got something fascinating going on there. That's interesting. That's cool. I didn't Connor Earegood: I think Andrew Graham: know about that. And I think like that's where I get to now where it's just you don't learn anything new from this show. They don't You don't experience anything you couldn't otherware. It it's just it's flat, it is boring, it is less fun because they have chosen front running boosterism. Connor Earegood: Yeah, it's it's about brands. It's just about brands now. It's it's not about the actual sport, it's not about college football, it's not about the sort of fanfare and I I I pageantry, I think is the word you'd use. Like it's it's not about that side of college football, it's just about the brands and and it's sorta jumped a shark when it's Pat McAfee. I love the memes online that are just like Pat McAfee and then Shabozy came out and and it's like Andrew Graham: Mm-hmm. Connor Earegood: it they just like do all the like corpo slop like It's corpus slap. It's the Andrew Graham: Little bit. Connor Earegood: same reason Chipot labels suck now and you know, Spotify gives you the same sixteen songs. Like, it's it's everything has been consolidated and and branded, and and and sort of tied up and you know, ways that that we lack creativity, and and risk in terms of brands and corporations and especially in broadcasting. you know, I I think we see that in journalism, where like of course ESPN in terms of their magazine or or their news articles or The Athletic are gonna cover these big brands in a way that, you know, it used to be really niche and and really, you know, dialed in sort of details, and and sort of you know, the the localization was what set a lot of that apart. and now you've just seen it all become nationalized. Like, you know, I I I I can't speak too much about my employer or anything like that because I like my job and not to say that there'd be any threat or anything, but it's just I I don't want to speak out of turn but you know, in the newspaper industry there's been a a shift to look toward data and analytics and I don't think T V and ESPN are any different. and so it's it's you understand why they make decisions they do, you just wish they would make the right ones a little more often. Andrew Graham: Well, or or the ones that require a little bit of to your like you said about creativity, like it's I I call it hunting digital center mass, where yeah, you could come up with your own creative, thoughtful, insightful angle, but then you gotta sell it to people and get it home, or you could just write sort of the generic thing that everyone's already chattering about online, get a bunch of impressions and clicks and call that a day. Like I Connor Earegood: And then Pat McAfee fakes out his pick and everyone goes and freaks out. Andrew Graham: Right, and so so it's like I g I I'm not stunned that anyone would take a a path of lesser resistance in some senses, and I think that's what it is. But it it's just like if ESPN can't find it in itself to say, you know what, maybe this sh this version of game day will get slightly fewer vers viewers than this at this other place What what are we doing? Like wha like you are the eight hundred pound gorilla in the room. You can afford to to do some things that, you know, aren't the most popular with the highest amount of people all the time. Like I think that's what bothers me is like you're just Yeah that's Connor Earegood: Yeah. You set the market. Andrew Graham: what's the the using the justification of no one cares about this to not bring the make people care about this TV show somewhere is stupid circular logic. And that's what bothers me about this. If your argument is no one cares to not bring the show that makes people care about a thing, you're utterly missing the point. Entirely missing the point. Now, before a bunch of Tennessee fans decide that I'm some awful carpetbagger, which we should finish reconstruction, by the way, well while we're here. But bringing game day to Tennessee, Texas makes complete sense. Like I don't have a fault with that part of it. It's a top 15 matchup, top 20 matchup, Arch Manning against his uncle's team. Like it's gonna be a good game, it's gonna be a great environment. But I would guarantee you, Connor. That whether game day's there or not, that about eight to ten million people will watch that football game. I don't I don't think it makes a difference. No. No. Connor Earegood: Yeah. And it doesn't tell you anything new. It doesn't tell you anything new to have game day there. It just doesn't. You all know you all know Rocky Top, you know, Heart of Texas, Eyes of Texas, whatever they sing. You know all their songs, you know all their chants, you know big brands, you Arch Manning, you know all this stuff. You're not learning anything. The whole point Andrew Graham: Correct. They were at Texas two weeks ago. Like Connor Earegood: Yeah. It's and and I guess we can talk more about the game in particular too. Like the Boise State, Western Michigan is going to be a good game. Andrew Graham: Should they Connor Earegood: Almost certainly. Should be. I I think it's going to be. I I think we can say. Andrew Graham: I w I would hope so. I'm gonna be there. Connor Earegood: Because it's because it's it's two they're gonna be juiced. Like Andrew Graham: yeah. Connor Earegood: and and I guess like I don't know, we we can go into the matchup here, like you got two teams that run the ball well. Like I maybe defensively Boise State has shown that they stop it, and I know you have more thoughts on this, but you know, Western Michigan has in Buckley a solid running back who who's gonna give them you know, get them ahead of the sticks. In Brock Lowry you have a sort of improviser we've talked playmaker throughout the season that can give you sort of heart wrenching moments. Like I don't know, you can yell ma you can yell Lowry instead of McLean. Like he's that kind of quarterback. He's gonna give you something. He's gonna be entertaining. Boise State, both these teams have played tough big ten teams, pretty close and and looked pretty good and and had their hearts broken. Like this is going to be a big game. I I'm rambling, I'll let you get into the matchup, but I what are we looking at here? Andrew Graham: yeah. No, you're good. You save you saved me from you saved me from going full John Brown for a moment there. Connor Earegood: Can't shout out Kansas' video. Andrew Graham: But yeah. but yeah, as for the game itself, like they're very they're different offenses and how they want to run the ball and how they want that to look, but they are both very committed to running the ball. That should be understood. I do know Sire Gaines, one of the running backs Boise State, is banged up, so that's worth monitoring. But then they have Dylan Riley, who's excellent as well. So like I I think they'll be okay one way or another. For Boise, it's a lot more of your like it's it's your dad's Pro stylish offense with like modern college trappings. They want to run it, they to get heavy, they want to get out of that by hitting play action shots, let Maddox Madsen Maddox Madsen, excuse me, hit some downfield plays. They've got this really fascinating freshman, Rashawn Jones, who's like 6'2, 215 out of Meridian, Idaho, and has like 200 yards through three games. Like, really interesting player. I think his thing is mostly just big, fast run, jump over people, catch the ball, and like can you stop it just on a physical level? But I don't know that he's like the most polished player at this point, which is understandable if he's like eighteen or nineteen. And so I go ahead. Connor Earegood: The No good. You're you're finished the point. Go ahead. Andrew Graham: And and so I just think like to me it comes down to I like Western's defense's ability to make it hard on Boise State. I don't think they're gonna stop them entirely, but I think you've got a good pass defense, your rush defense, the numbers kind of aren't great, but I think at this time of the season stats lie a little bit. They played a bunch of twos for a good chunk against Monmouth, and they just played a rice team that runs a really odd and kind of modern triple that's hard to defend, and they gave up some rushing yards to Jacuri Brown, who is a infinitely better athlete than Maddox Madsen, who is not a bad athlete, but Shakeri Brown is like an NFL team's gonna try to turn him into a tight end or something still. like legitimately he you watch him move and you go, okay, that's that's different. so I I think where I get down to the difference in this game is, you know, Western and Boise are all kind of in the fine to good at rush defense. rushing the ball themselves on offense. Both the pass like Boise's passing offense is better than Western's, but Western's has been improved and looked solid. I think to me, like in you've got to Brock Lowry there, he becomes the X factor. Because right now Boise State has the third worst passing defense in the country on a yards per game basis. admittedly playing Oregon does not help that, but they also got absolutely aired out by Memphis and then South Dakota State, which is a very good FCS program, but an FCS program nonetheless was chunking them last Saturday. Nope. Yeah. And it's more like Connor Earegood: FCS doesn't have many receivers. They do, but they don't. Like that's the thing. Andrew Graham: they were just like fearless and their quarterback just kept hitting it. And so like I think there's a little bit of that with Western. Connor Earegood: Yeah. Andrew Graham: But to me it becomes along with his ability to change the math in the run game and be an effective runner and like I he's not a you know like the biggest, fastest runaway from you runner, but Brock Lowry might be the most like nuanced quarterback runner like I've ever seen in person. He's so good at like setting up blocks, using his eyes, cutting back, like finding space, getting skinny, like all that like kind of just like running back type stuff he's really good at. And so I think if he can be at his best running and hit some throws against what it has been a suspect defense, like that really to me screams as like X Factor in Bright Lights. Connor Earegood: That's my my X Factor for this one. That's that's what I'm saying this game hands on. If I said this for the game they played against Michigan. Like if Brock Lowry goes nuclear, you are not stopping Western Michigan. Andrew Graham: Pretty much. Connor Earegood: Their defense can buy them enough. He's going to play well, you would think. and when he does play well, he's at a he's at a level that you know, can can not carry an offense 'cause right he's throwing to guys, but he he it's like a a force multiplier. Andrew Graham: Absolutely. Connor Earegood: that you get out of Andrew Graham: Absolutely. Connor Earegood: him. And he's he's one of those types of players like Jordan Hall for Michigan State's defense that we'll get into later in the show. Like he's a guy who makes the collective better because of his own athletic abilities and also his leadership and also sacrifice and all the things you need to see on a down to down basis. so I I I I think that's if he is able to play well, Western Michigan I think wins this one and controls their own destiny. if they don't, it's gonna be really hard for Western d to beat a comparably hungry team that i is also I think gonna have some in in in Madison, right, is he gonna have a guy who's who's trying to ball out and and and prove himself because he had a taste of it against Oregon and it didn't work out. So Andrew Graham: Yeah. yeah. And Mat and Madson's played like fifty college games or something like that. Like he he's played a lot of football, so he's not gonna be Connor Earegood: A ton of college ball. Andrew Graham: like rattled by the environment or anything like that. So like like I Connor Earegood: No. Andrew Graham: think you need to actually get real real pressure on Connor Earegood: No Andrew Graham: him and stuff like that. and to your point about the force multiplier with Lowry, that that rings very true to me 'cause what what Western needs out of its passing game isn't necessarily we're gonna drop back thirty times, complete twenty two passes for three hundred yards. But it's if you're gonna put eight dudes in the box, we will complete a fifteen yard pass to Avian Chennault and take you out of that. And that just that ability to force a defense to respect that and open up the run game, I think is like the that's where like in a very granular sense the force multiplier nature of it arrives. Because if they now have the ability to throw it behind you if you want to load up the line of scrimmage, like that's gonna be a You you can't just like take that risk like you kinda could against Western's offense last year. But no, go ahead. No, I was I was just I was just gonna add Connor Earegood: I I think yeah, good. No, good. No, good. Have you Andrew Graham: the there's a little bit of injury news that not officially came out this morning, but Western it's Thursday morning as we're recording this right around midday. but Western Michigan released an updated depth chart where Micah Davis is now listed. it's Dea McCullough starting a safety across from Joey Pope and I believe Davis is out with what l appears to be a right wrist hand injury. I don't I don't wanna say exactly 'cause I don't know exactly what it is. but he missed the second half against Rice and is looking like he's not gonna play this weekend, which is a big blow for Western secondary. Connor Earegood: I I I my prediction's still gonna be western Michigan in this one. I'm gonna go local. Probably bias Andrew Graham: Bold bold. Connor Earegood: Michigander, but I'm gonna I'm gonna go western Michigan by four. Andrew Graham: Yeah, we'll get we'll get there in the end. We'll get there at the end. wanna move on to to Michigan, Iowa quickly here. Connor Earegood: Yeah, so let's we're we're gonna do this, just so the viewers know, in solidarity with our decision on game day. We're quick hitting Michigan, Iowa, Andrew Graham: Ha ha. Connor Earegood: MSU, Nebraska. Like, we are we are moving through these, so you know, the you guys can read our our coverage at Minton Football and and Detroit News if you want some more in depth on the matchups and all the little nuances and things. So but we're we're gonna quick hit these, what the keys are and and move on to some more maxion. Andrew Graham: Absolutely. Yeah, we're we're we're gonna move the ball on these teams as much as Michigan and Iowa are against each other on Saturday. so it's that Connor Earegood: Not very much. Andrew Graham: that one's at the big house. Iowa visits Michigan for a top twenty matchup. I think they're like sixteenth and seventeenth or something like that. The last couple times these teams have played, Michigan's gotten the upper hand. that's included one in Iowa City in a couple Big Ten title games. I I I s like obvious and boring, but like this is gonna come down to the trenches. It's gonna come down to not letting Iowa like special teams you if you're Michigan and like I think for me where it just shows up like the the edge with Michigan against Iowa in recent years is Michigan's offensive skill. Like it savion Iowa has not had a Safe on Heider in the last twenty years. Like just straight up. and so I a very good, very different Connor Earegood: Caleb Johnson was good, but he was not at that level. But not at that level. There's l The saying there's levels to this Andrew Graham: Kind of player, yeah. yeah. Connor Earegood: is like you get so much more from a hider or a marshal. Andrew Graham: So yeah, so I think I think that like Michigan has a bit of an advantage, but like Iowa is the greatest team maybe in the sport at taking away your advantages with their defense and punishing you on special teams, and like I can deser very much see the universe where the trenches are a stalemate, Michigan turns it over a couple times and gets special teams and and loses. Like we're we're a couple references to World War One away from Me going full Michigan war dad here with trenches and Connor Earegood: I I'll say this. Michigan's defensive line I think has looked solid so far. This is gonna be a big test for them. Andrew Graham: Yeah. Absolutely. Connor Earegood: Like this is where you're gonna know if they're real. Because it's it's Dom Nichols and John Henry Daly and all those dudes and Trey Pierce and like they've had some good production up front in a way that is as you know, with that when that clicks, we talked about last week's show, like that makes this a top five probably defense, or at least is is in in the running. Andrew Graham: Absolutely. Like in the conversation, yeah. Connor Earegood: In the in the convo. Like, if they aren't able to get pressure against Iowa, it doesn't matter that, you know, Hank Brown is kind of your average Iowa quarterback in a way. Doesn't matter that, you know they they might be able to strap up Tony Diaz, who Kirk Ferrens somehow, like, gave praise to in the offseason. He never does that. It was a internet breaking day because he said something positive and said this kid is in his language, about as good as he's ever gonna get. like this Andrew Graham: That's Iowa upping your NIL. That's what it looks like when they do it there for receivers. This is Kirk saying nice things. Connor Earegood: Yeah. And so it's like i it if you're not able to do that, like, Iowa will be patient enough. They're like a BOA constrictor. That's why they start with defense. That's Andrew Graham: yeah. Connor Earegood: what you see with Michigan State with Pat Fitzgerald building. You start with defense and you squeeze the life out of somebody. And Michigan did not respond well when Western did that to them. Oklahoma game, they they were able to overcome some mistakes 'cause Matir had a bad game and didn't put the pressure on them. Like i i is dookie. Is dookie. Andrew Graham: And Oklahoma's offensive line is kind of overrated and hurt. So yeah, that's that's another way of putting it. Connor Earegood: they played like it. Andrew Graham: No, that's fair. Connor Earegood: Is they played like it, but this is going to be a test. Like Iowa has some dogs that I don't think a lot of teams have. So that's that's the key matchup in this one and and that's where I think Iowa wins this. Andrew Graham: Well, and that's to your point, like Iowa has never like talk about a program culture that has no pucker factor in like they they they'll be down 10 0 going into the fourth quarter. They don't care. They've won that game plenty of times, 13 10. so yeah, like I think they're perfectly fine with the kind of game this is going to be. And it's like, does Michigan just have the medal to not flinch when Iowa surely is not going to? and just a quick shout there are seven guys from Michigan on Iowa's team, five of them on the two deep. Four of them are DPs. Kirk Kirk Farrens and Southeast Michigan DBs is a love story at this point in recruiting. but shout out shout out Deshaun Lee and all them. wanna get on to MSU Nebraska here? Connor Earegood: most Andrew Graham: Alright. So I will s I will now defer to your expertise. The the the big area I think that like I'm fascinated about in the game is like talked about with Joe Rossi yesterday, like Nebraska's offense is very explosive, both on the ground and through the air, and Anthony Calandria, who I have generally not thought the most of as a quarterback in his college days, is playing at a very, very high level and doing a lot of good stuff for them. Is that just kinda it? Is that like MSU either has to match that or get on Top of that defensively. Connor Earegood: Yeah. That's that's I I was on the Herdat pot earlier today talking to those guys on their live show and that was the matchup I like Michigan State has to contain Calandria. Like this is and the problem is with Jordan Hall being a little banged up but playing out of his mind, you still gotta have the will that's handling coverage next to him. And I I asked about like how that's gonna affect and and if, you know, Devin Vaught and and them behind him playing safety is is able to overcome and, you know, help him out if that frees him up a little bit and he's like, honestly, it's the Wills working with the coverage and working with them. Like that's it's regimented in Joe Rossi's defense. So, you know, they need whoever's in that role, probably Dion Crawford. I think he's played a lot better than than Caleb Wheatland so far. Granted there's, you know, differences to the role and and Dion's a little bit of he struggles in coverage, and and has in the film and Andrew Graham: He you want him going forward. Connor Earegood: and already has. You want him Clocking somebody. So maybe they do f a little four three and put Stodgeil in. I I don't know how they're gonna approach that, but I you want a nickel back in. Andrew Graham: I I I almost wonder I almost wonder if you could like kind of flip sores in Crawford in a pinch. Connor Earegood: Yeah, I you might be able to a and that's Andrew Graham: I don't know that they want to do that, but like I think you could. Connor Earegood: Yeah. But that's see, and that's the thing with with this defense is like the starters are good when you get into the depth and you lose someone. Like Pretzloff emerging as a guy who could be a starter was a boon for them. They got some depth. But if they're not able to have someone who can keep eyes on on Calandria, make those split second decisions that come with experience not just being good, come with experience and having seen that. this is gonna have to be a big Jordan Hall game. It's gonna have to be a big game from the secondary that might be without Tyron Chappell, who would put a lot of a lot of coverage on Chuck Brantley's plate, who has not lived up to it so far, and and has struggled this season. So you know this could be a game where Calandry is just dotten up to to Jakory Barney Junior and just kinda playing two Andrew Graham: Yeah. Connor Earegood: one of you know, two on on eleven football, and and cutting the field. Like I this is a This is a tough test for Michigan State. I think it is one that they can win. and it's gonna come down to that defense. Andrew Graham: The way Calandri this is this is a wild comparison for me. But the way Kalandrio plays kind of reminds me of Bo Brungaard, the Youngstown quarterback who MSU faced last year. It's a there's a similar vibe to it where it's just like where it's just like Connor Earegood: Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's a great scout. Andrew Graham: he there's n he's not that impressive to look at. And he's like not the fastest, but it's just like you can't get a hand on him and like stop the play. It just keeps going, and then he completes it to a dude and they gain 17 yards, and you're just like. How the hell did that happen? But it just keeps happening with them. And I think that's like almost maybe more infuriating because it's like if Cam Newton's just running around you all and score it's like, okay, well, like we can't do anything about that. We have nobody who can touch him. But like Calandria and like Nebraska, it's not such like a mismatch that MSU shouldn't be able to like do some productive things against this offense. It's can they be on the front foot? Can like like I'll I'll put it this way if If Eli Kunin or like Ben Roberts has more tackles than like Nikai Martinez, like good performance by the MSU defense. Other way around, probably not having Connor Earegood: Yeah. Andrew Graham: their best day. Like it let's just like kind of simplify it that way. Yeah. It's like you if if Connor Earegood: The explosives. Yeah. Andrew Graham: if if the safeties got like ten tackles on the day, like some not great things were happening in front of them. and I think that's kind of what you wanna not see happen if you're MSU. And do you think like the offense has a gear to them to maybe match it? 'Cause I don't think we've seen that from MSU's offense yet. Connor Earegood: I they're gonna have to run the ball really well and I I think the offensive line probably is is feeling like it needs a a a a step up after that Notre Dame game. They really got pushed around kinda snap to snap. They had some good reps, but it was all like two guys out of five Andrew Graham: Yeah. Connor Earegood: and they were still getting pressured. So, I I it comes Andrew Graham: It's like which two ought to give and play. Connor Earegood: down to being able to run the ball. Yeah, exactly. And it was different guys every time. So, I I think it's gonna come down to if Cam Edwards can get them ahead of the sticks and and maybe free up Milvoivic. He only had three pass attempts on third downs. I like that's they were you know, it it was it wasn't they were in a tough spot. Two picks thro you know, throws you off there. they had a couple of scoring drives but they stayed ahead of him. and obviously Campancher was in on on a few looks as well. so it's it's interesting for Michigan State. Like You need to get ahead of the sticks. You need to shorten the field a little bit in special teams. you need to give pull out all the stops. but that's the recipe to win in in the Big Ten. Pat Fitzgerald's mentioned that and he wants to win in the margins. he knows this team doesn't have the sort of year over year depth to be at that sort of punching elite top of Andrew Graham: No, no, no, no, not yet. Connor Earegood: the middle of the pack level. they're not there yet, but you know, this will be a good As much as the Notre Dame test was a a a good measuring stick, this is going to be a good in conference foe to to sort of test against. But should we get him action? Andrew Graham: Yeah. yeah, well one quick shout, Nebraska, I believe, on the defensive line has Williams Waneri, who transferred from Mizzou, I believe Connor Earegood: Mm. Andrew Graham: was the number one overall recruit in twenty three, twenty four, something like a couple couple cycles ago. Connor Earegood: Interesting. Andrew Graham: Didn't quite pan out in Missouri, but he's looked really good at Nebraska, so look out for him. yeah, let's get into some some Mac play. Start with start with well, so last year when Eastern Michigan hosted Long Island, I would have been like, Alright, they're playing an FCS team, they're gonna win and then they lost. So I will not do that with Eastern Michigan hosting Lindenwood this year. They are twenty four point favourites, something like that. And I will say this. I think because you lost to an FCS team last year's Eastern Michigan, that actually does a lot for you in terms of like taking this one very seriously, coming out with a real edge, even though you're th sort of on paper the much better team still. so I'm not like terribly worried about Eastern Michigan. They also kind of have been hunting a get right game after getting kind of beaten up by two big ten teams in a row. I think that's just like the big like i i if you lose to an FCS team two years in a row There's not a lot of good left to say, basically. Like, so Connor Earegood: No. Andrew Graham: just don't do that. Look good on offense. Get Noah Kim going. like ha have a game against an FCS team where we're like, Yep, they beat an FCS team and we move on to conference play with a trip to UMass. Like, that's probably what is good for Eastern here. But I also No, I was Connor Earegood: Yeah. it's okay. Andrew Graham: I was gonna cut you off with off field things, so go ahead. Connor Earegood: that's perfect 'cause I wanted to touch on this before you do that. Like it Noah Kim as good as as he's believed to be by Chris Creighton and his staff and this team, like if he's able to get going going into Mac play, that's that's gonna be a big thing for them. Like, he looked good against Sacramento State, that level, he's able to to contend with. this is, you know, obviously a little lower. Like this is a good warm up game to get him back after a couple of tougher performances. and and they're gonna need every bit of football they can squeeze out of him. Andrew Graham: Absolutely. Connor Earegood: I talk about him like every show when we talk about Eastern 'cause he's just that dynamic and good of a player. It is that important to this team. Like and and Andrew Graham: It's that a b I mean, it's true. Yeah, like it's true. He's one of their best players and yeah. Connor Earegood: Yeah. And and so he he the past two weeks probably hasn't shown what you wanted to see from him. this is this is his tune up game. Like Andrew Graham: Snap back to it, yeah. Connor Earegood: this is this is what the UTEP game was for Bryce Underwood for Michigan. Andrew Graham: Yep, pretty much. Yeah. Connor Earegood: So it's and and how he comes out of it's gonna determine a lot of this season. Andrew Graham: Yeah. And they won't have Nick Devereaux, their top receiver, which bites 'cause he hurt his arm shoulder. So he'll be back eventually. Yeah, he'll Connor Earegood: two. And Mac is coming off an injury. Andrew Graham: I think I don't know what his injury was. I think he might have just gotten concussed on that hit against MSU and fumbled. So I'm guessing he's just Connor Earegood: Mm. Andrew Graham: back now and he'll be his usual self. but wait and see. Connor Earegood: Got it. Andrew Graham: two like quick little off field well one's sort of on field, technically. So he it's Connor Earegood: Halffield. Andrew Graham: on the field, not within the white lines. We'll put it that way. so it's the about the Connor Earegood: Mm. Andrew Graham: Maccoon turnover chain, which Chris Creighton got asked about, and they've retired it and replaced it with their defenses like VICE, which is an acronym for like violence intensity, and like something about like camaraderie or what like basically communication, whatever. And so they replaced it, which fair enough, it's new turnover chain. But like the the animating factor, if you hadn't seen Connor, which you may have, was So they had this all last year. It came from this YouTube comment. Sicco's committee got on it. There's kind of this whole like there's a raccoon Yeah, there's a raccoon in the stands, so it was like the maccoon. Connor Earegood: Yeah. You wouldn't survive a quarter in Ypsilani. Like yeah. Andrew Graham: But a bunch of people saw a bunch of black football players wearing a raccoon around their neck and went, And I can't blame anyone for having that reaction to seeing that either. Like understanding history, politics, Connor Earegood: No. In today's world, a hundred percent. Andrew Graham: and culture, like I can understand Eastern just kind of quietly moving away from that. And so I don't I just that that is like the beat by beat of what happened. And I think they were just like, let us not stick our hand on a Connor Earegood: It's not worth it. Andrew Graham: hot stove here, which is completely Connor Earegood: Yeah. Andrew Graham: reasonable. the other more little like real thing with Eastern football is so Game Above has been one of their like big athletics partners. It's what the basketball arena is named after. They give a bunch of money to golf. They posted some sort of like cryptic like You know, it's time for a new direction, whatever, with Eastern like, basically more or less sounding like they're kinda done being involved with Eastern Athletics, which a bunch of people were kinda concerned about. From what I understand, that was mostly just like kinda some noise from game above, at least as far as football and like men's basketball and a couple other things are concerned. Like as I understand, I don't think they've given money to football since before the pandemic. So, like just just to like throw that out there for any Eastern fans, like I don't think that's No one who works in the athletic department is going about their lives any differently because of that over the weekend. Pretty much. If like yeah, if like Connor Earegood: Which should tell you everything. 'Cause that's a panic level if they were supporting. Andrew Graham: forty percent of how we pay for the bills just said screw you, that would be a problem, but there's no such problem occurring, to be clear. I would like women's golf would be the one thing that might r risk having some money go away. Well that's Connor Earegood: Which played for an N CAA title last year. Andrew Graham: kinda why it's kind of a you have to keep doing this or are we gonna keep paying you kind of thing, which that's a whole other thing with women's Connor Earegood: Yeah. Andrew Graham: golf team. but I just wanted to throw that out there for like it it looked not great and I understand like you know big per like company that throws a bunch of money to have its name on the building kind of being like peace out is not like a foreboding sign, but from my understanding is it's not it's kind of a a nothing burger on the EMU athletic department end of things. Connor Earegood: Can I pivot you? Andrew Graham: Yeah, pivot pivot away. Let's move the couch up the stairs, a la friends. Connor Earegood: go back on the field. Andrew Graham: Pivot, pivot. Connor Earegood: Pivot. Pivot. Theoretically. How many minimal yards does Malachi Tony get this weekend? Andrew Graham: Well, so I I will confess I he is on my college football fantasy team in an unpaid league, which has been a boon for my college fantasy team, I should add. So I the honors to God answer might be lower than we think because he doesn't play the full game. I I will Connor Earegood: Mm. Andrew Graham: turn this back on you and pose you the far more interesting theory here. How many players on Miami earn a higher base salary than Matt Drinkle? it's it's a notable amount. I don't know that it's thirty. It's probably a Well that's Well, but I don't think they're Connor Earegood: Thirty? Probably. But they the problem is though you have to pay your freshmen. You have to pay your freshmen and you're paying all your starters. Andrew Graham: paying the freshmen except a few select like I don't know that there's outside of like Jackson Cantwell that they have a freshman. No, but I I I don't know that it's that many. I would Connor Earegood: But that's why I say like thirty. Like twenty two, you got some depth guys. Andrew Graham: say it's probably closer to like a dozen. It's probably Connor Earegood: There's a lot. Andrew Graham: like A dozen to eighteen, but it's like, dude, Darien Connor Earegood: Okay. Well either way there's a there's a lot. There's a lot. Andrew Graham: Vence is making like six million dollars this year. Matt Drickle's base salary is like six hundred thousand dollars. and he gets some other compensation that gets it Connor Earegood: Yeah. That's Andrew Graham: closer to like a million. But like and to Connor Earegood: As you do. Andrew Graham: be clear, like this is not an indictment of like Matt Drickle's doing fine, to be clear. I think he's perfectly content with life right now. Like he's getting paid well and living fine in Mount Pleasant. And I have no problem with these guys from Miami making this money, but like I was sitting here this morning doing some stuff and I was just like Well we know Mensa, Tony, Scott, Cantwell, like Barkate, Mark Fletcher, like they're probably all making more than a million, easily. Like, I would almost guarantee it. A little bit, like Well, and like yeah, no. Connor Earegood: Which is probably why he's so complimentary to the guys You know? Like there's just levels that Central's not at and you make money from the buy, like that's what this is for. But it it it's gonna be a tough challenge. Like, maybe there's the the benefit of them being the underdog where it's like, we're just gonna go down to Miami and play some football and maybe luck luck happens. I don't think they went to Oklahoma State thinking they were gonna win, you know? Like that's it's Andrew Graham: It is a it is a No. It's a true Well Coo that was back when Cooper Rush could still complete a forward pass. Sorry, Atlanta Falcons fans. Lancet Catholic High School legend, Cooper Rush. Connor Earegood: poor guy, poor guy. Andrew Graham: but yeah, and like Drinkle actually has like I appreciate I can understand when college coaches are like coy about kind of like stuff that's Kind of behind the scenes and they all but like some of it's out like I appreciate Matt Drinkle. Like it's not a secret to anyone that Miami is a much better roster, a better resource program, historically the one of the most successful programs of the last like fifty years. Like and he will not try and talk about like, you know, well we put our pants on the same way as them. Like, I think he still has the full belief in his players to go out and execute and perform, but I think he also acknowledges that like Miami has better football players than he can get. And that will show up on Saturday. And so while he's not like it's it's they still have a high expectation internally of like we need to perform to our level. We need to not make mistakes. Like like they will be upset if they go play mistake filled, sloppy football. But if they play hard, try Connor Earegood: Yeah. Andrew Graham: to do their things, and they're just like a guy gets tackled two yards short of the sticks because he can't get the corner because Wesley Bassainth is absurd or whatever, like I they're not gonna be upset by that. Because that's just the reality and they're not gonna let objective reality they can't shape overnight affect their emotional state, which is Connor Earegood: It's the it's the Dry Creek Wrangler school mentality of like you just have to do your best and enough is enough. Like, Andrew Graham: Yeah, he's it's he's Connor Earegood: if you get drafted by the Lakers and you're like a chud, like it's not your fault. Like, that's centr that's central in this game. It is Andrew Graham: Yeah. No, like absolutely. Connor Earegood: not your fault that you are the the the sort of undercard. Like Andrew Graham: No, like that's it's the you you are paid to be the undercard in this game. and Connor Earegood: Yeah. Andrew Graham: like I think the other thing about it too is get to go to Miami and like hang out, it's decent weather, it'll be a nice time. It's like and and Drinkle I think is Drinkle's Connor Earegood: Cold up here. Andrew Graham: kind of he's like a true like football fan in the sense of like the dude just like loves football and like kind of historical football. Connor Earegood: It's the you. Andrew Graham: Little b little right, but like Jason Taylor's gonna be on the opposite sideline coaching. Like like he loves that kind of stuff, and I think he Connor Earegood: Yeah. Andrew Graham: tries to get the players to appreciate too, like for whatever's going on here, like you get to go like shake Jason Taylor's hand after the game. If you want to. Like like and and Connor Earegood: Yeah. It's sick. Andrew Graham: that means something and like you can make a play that has, you know, Ed Reed will watch it go, that dude made a good play. Like and like you should appreciate that. That's Connor Earegood: Yeah. Andrew Graham: cool. Like th like th as much as this has become a naked cynical business, there's still a lot of cool shit happening at college football that should be appreciated. Connor Earegood: Yeah. Let me let me ask you this. How what do you think the final score is? W we'll just do our picks here. Like what what do you think the score is gonna be when all's said and done? Or or the spread. We can do spread on this one maybe because it might be Andrew Graham: so so the line I most recently saw was like six touchdowns with the hook. It was like 41 and a half or something like that. Feels Connor Earegood: Yeah. Andrew Graham: about right. Like I I it's like Central's problem like the way Central covers is basically by just like lowering the number of possessions as best they can, which I like Yeah. Connor Earegood: Run the ball. Andrew Graham: So I mean this has this screams to me that like It will actually maybe be like just slow in the first half. Not that like they're like it but it could be like twenty-one nothing in the first half where Miami just doesn't have enough possessions to really stretch it out. But then by the end of the game, it's like fifty-six to seven or something like that, where it's just you're just not gonna be able like power four DBs can't stop Malachi Tony. Like NFL DBs are not going to be able to stop Malachi Tony. Connor Earegood: Yeah. I I'm gonna I'm gonna say I'm gonna say that it's probably l like I think it'll be like thirty five. Like Andrew Graham: That's yeah. Connor Earegood: I think it'd be five touchdowns because I think they're gonna rest guys. They're gonna Andrew Graham: Yes. Connor Earegood: rest Tony. Like this is not a game you don't want him to get a turf monster that like God forbid, like a terrible injury that ends his season. You're not playing to beat Central, you're playing to beat everybody. Andrew Graham: Correct. Correct. And like Connor Earegood: So that's that's the only thing for for Central here. Andrew Graham: And Central could probably I I would guess we'll see after Angel so Angel Flores last Saturday played the full game, and that is the first time in sixteen games Central Michigan's played one quarterback for a full game under Drinkle, which is like kind of wild to think about. so he'll get the lion's share of the reps again, but I would be pretty surprised given how the game's probably likely to go and just like the nature of trying not to get Angel Flores too hurt. Yeah, like legitimately, like Miami's gonna Connor Earegood: Killed. Yeah. Andrew Graham: be hitting. I think we'll probably see some Jaden Glassford, Marcus Beeman, and like they're they're a little more likely to just like chuck it deep and you know, D B slips and you score a touchdown later. Like who knows? so thirty five doesn't sound cra like any anything from thirty five to like fifty five genuinely seems in play, which is bleak. Connor Earegood: What about eastern Lindenwood? What do you got going Andrew Graham: Huh. Connor Earegood: there? Andrew Graham: I'm just gonna take Eastern. I I think the thing that gives them a much better shot this year and like where they were doomed last year is like they couldn't tackle and stop people at the start of the season. And they can do that now. And I know that sounds like an insultingly low bar, but like they've been pretty honest about it. Like we had to be better tackling, we had to be better flying to the ball, we had to do all that stuff, and like it got away from them against Wisconsin, Michigan State. Don't think it gets away from them against Lindenwood. Give me Eastern, like Eastern thirty eight, Lindenwood ten, something like that. Connor Earegood: I I'm not gonna give a score prediction 'cause that increases my odds of being wrong, but Andrew Graham: Ha ha ha. Connor Earegood: I will say Eastern. I think they got it. I think there's no way you lose two years in a row to FCS schools. And if they do, then I think Chris Creighton's got a problem. Andrew Graham: Yes, I would agree. I I w I think everyone would agree with that assessment generally. Connor Earegood: Yeah. Very boiler boilerplate, but yeah. Michigan, Iowa. Andrew Graham: I have gone back this is the one I've probably gone back and forth on the most this week. Because I see sort of like equal pathways to win for both teams. And so I th I think I will air with Michigan mostly because of home field and for as much as we have lamented his penchant to throw the ball to defenders a lot. I also think Bryce Underwood has a lot higher probability of like actually throwing for 200 yards in this game than Hank Brown ever does. and so I just think like there are a f maybe a few more possibilities for Michigan to create edges in this than like Iowa has the ways it has to win this game, and that's defense and special teams and just keeping it on the rails on offense. I think Michigan has a few more paths to victory, but it's gonna be low scoring and close. That I that I will be confident. Connor Earegood: I got Iowa. I got Iowa. In a in like a slobber knocker. I don't think either team is breaking twenty. I I'm picking Iowa. I it's trenches. Andrew Graham: Yeah. I think we're both basically Yeah. Connor Earegood: It's trenches. It's just the offensive line I think gives them an edge. Andrew Graham: Yeah, we're both sitting here basically just being like, It's gonna be fifteen to nine, but we just Connor Earegood: Ugly. Andrew Graham: don't know who's gonna get fifteen and who's gonna get nine, basically. Yeah. Connor Earegood: who's gonna get there. And it might be special teams, it might be interception, it could be something, but Andrew Graham: I I saw I saw a great tweet that was like, Iowa Michigan score prediction, six four Michigan, all safeties. I was like, I I would like Connor Earegood: Yeah. Could be. Andrew Graham: of all of the games in the country this weekend, that is probably Connor Earegood: Not that many, but Andrew Graham: the likeliest one to do that. Connor Earegood: Like nineteen ten score line. Andrew Graham: yeah, like we we have not invented the forward pass yet scores. Connor Earegood: Yeah. The I said Western by four. What do you get for them? Andrew Graham: I'll give Lance another chance to poke me in his presser. I'll say Boise State by a similar margin, like I think th field goal. th this has a lot of air of the North Texas game to me last year where Western coulda won. but like it's very hard to beat a team that has a lot of answers, like I think Boise State does on Connor Earegood: Sure. Andrew Graham: offense generally, and an experienced quarterback like Last year they faced Drew Mestermaker who was inexperienced but like elite physically, and now they face Maddox Madsen, who is generously listed at five ten, but is just experienced and and deft as they come. And I just I just think Boise's Boise's gonna show why they're the gold standard of the group of six on Saturday by a field goal. Connor Earegood: Yeah. Michigan State, Nebraska, I'm picking Michigan State. Twenty three to th thirteen. I think it's gonna be a special teams play. I think there's gonna be a big return by Kenneth Williams after his drop in the end zone last year last week, knowing this Nebraska group being a former teammate of theirs. but I also think Cam Edwards is gonna be able to run the ball. I think that offensive line's gonna have a bit of a gut check and I think Jordan Hall, the level he's playing, can make up some things that they're you know gonna have to deal with with Calandria. and I I I I do think like as much as Brantley's had a bad go of it if he is playing, I think he's a competitive enough kid, guy, man, he has a kid. himself, is this baby boy that brought him back to to Lansing. So I I think this Michigan State team has a lot to prove. I just feel good about Pat Fitzgerald being able to get them to do that after a tough loss at Notre Dame. and everyone being focused and channeling it the right way, which I wrote about at Detroit News dot com. You can read about that. That the selfless self shameless plug, but I'm gonna go with Michigan State. Who do you got? Andrew Graham: So the the Kenneth Williams redemption and revenge game all rolled into one. Connor Earegood: Yeah. Andrew Graham: I I think I'm with you and it's on a like Pat Fitzgerald has instilled the sort of like gritty floor, hard to beat, do the right thing stuff that I don't know why it's taken Matt Rule so long to do in Nebraska. Like like the Scott Frost psychologically damaged an entire football program. Like it's kind of crazy. Connor Earegood: Yeah. Poisoned it. Andrew Graham: And so like I think Nebraska's definitely getting back to there and they're impressive. But yeah, there's just something like this MSU team just has that like edge that you want. That doesn't it's not gonna overcome super big talent deficits. But it it it'll be a difference in a game like this where it's gonna probably come down to like four or five plays going one way or another. So Spartans by like touchdown or a field goal, something like that. Connor Earegood: Alright, should we get to the the college game day Pat McAfee Shabuzi Bull? Andrew Graham: God. The Connor Earegood: I saw the fake Donald Trump will be there tweet this week. That was really funny. I I hate old row, but that was a good bit. Andrew Graham: there's that's the well the jokes about since the president is actually attending the game, at least that's confirmed. the the Connor Earegood: Yeah. Andrew Graham: jokes about like it's going to be the orangest place in the known universe, which is a very low hanging fruit, Connor Earegood: Yeah. Andrew Graham: but it did get me, I have to admit. Connor Earegood: Yeah. I think I'm gonna go with Texas. They've been tested further. Andrew Graham: Give me Tennessee. Arch Arch has not been good. Arch has had one good half. Like It's it's I and and for for for Connor Earegood: I like it. Andrew Graham: all of my prodding them earlier, I will say Nayland Stadium is a hard place to win a football game if you are not Tennessee. Connor Earegood: Horrors. Andrew Graham: and they are gonna be juiced up for this because I don't like when's the last time Texas played at Tennessee if Texas has ever played at Tennessee? exactly. So like it might it might like might be like the during the Connor Earegood: I don't think so. Yeah. You run into them in a bowl. Andrew Graham: Korean War or something, like legitimately. and so like It's just a very special opportunity. You get number one in the house. I I'll I'll call it the coming out party for Faison Brandon. He'll have a good game and Tennessee gets it done and and Josh Heipel gets to talk about the math of adding more games means more teams lose. Connor Earegood: God. I'm Andrew Graham: It's like yes, Josh, that is what happens. Connor Earegood: Yeah. I'm gonna pick a a similarly sometimes crazy quoting coach in Lincoln Riley and USC in our next matchup, USC Oregon. I feel good Andrew Graham: Going against Dante Moore? Connor Earegood: about the Trojans. I am, man. I Oregon's looked fallible in a way that makes you think they're gonna lock in and just absolutely slaughter USC this weekend just because it's a the first like big sort of test, I guess you could say, right? I'm th unless I'm forgetting something, I could be. But this feels like the first like of their caliber of talent team, right? but I I feel good about USC. Like my Ava've been on since he first got his first start, right? In after the the whole how was his first name? Miller Moss? Was that his name? Miller is a first name's disgusting. and like Andrew Graham: Miller Moss. That was his name. Yeah, it's kinda throws you off. Although Moss Miller would be. Connor Earegood: after all of that Yeah. I either way, he like I I feel good about Maeva this season. I I should have drafted him to my all big ten team, but we started this season, but alas, I didn't. yeah, I'm I'm gonna pick against my guy. I'm gonna go UFC. What about you? Andrew Graham: I'm gonna take Oregon for the reasons you kinda said about like they're Connor Earegood: Another Andrew Graham: the team in this game that has the higher gear to get to if they can get there. USC's defense is not physical. It's talented, not physical. And it will not be physical until Lincoln Riley that like has an epiphany like goes to the desert and takes ayahuasca and like sees God or something. I don't know what needs to happen. Connor Earegood: And then starts recruiting the hell out of Texas. Andrew Graham: Well, it's like I don't know what needs to happen for Lincoln Riley just to like get a defense where guys just go and hit people and seem to like it. 'Cause they don't like I sw Connor Earegood: If you're going to USC you don't want to hit people. You go to Iowa. Andrew Graham: Well, that's kind of the problem. But you used to. Troy Palomalu play Trey Palomaro and Clay Matthews used to play there. Like like this is not what USC's defense is supposed Connor Earegood: Yeah. Andrew Graham: to be. It's supposed to be way scarier than this. Way scarier than this. And it's not. And it hasn't been under Lincoln Riley. And it won't be. And I'm just as much as Jaden Maiava can huck it around, I think Oregon kind of like rises to the occasion after absolutely floundering to the occasion versus Oklahoma State. I think they learned a lesson. I think USC survived a scare versus Rutgers that did not learn a lesson from it. And gimme Oregon by touchdown. In the Coliseum. and make that that's that's the no pulls. That's Rohan will answer. Dan Connor Earegood: In the collie. The lights of Sauron Or no, Lights of Gondor. The Tower. Andrew Graham: Lanning will answer. Connor Earegood: Yeah. Yeah. One of the greatest Steven Brooks tweets last year's MSU USC game. The Lights of Gondor call for aid and it's the tower at the stadium. Andrew Graham: That's amazing. Connor Earegood: Missouri Mississippi State. Speaking of Lord of the Rings and Long Journeys. Andrew Graham: Yeah, if anyone's ever tried to get to Starkville, it is the you you there it doesn't Connor Earegood: Sticks. Andrew Graham: have an airport that does commercial air travel. You have to fly to Golden Triangle Regional, which is like forty minutes away. I know this because I have done it before to cover an NCAA women's tournament game. But I will say that, all that to say, they love the Cowboys in Starkville because it's the show in town. Missouri's not ready for the Cowbell. Austin Simmons is good, not great. Camario Taylor is great, great, great. Gimme Mississippi State in a game that really gets people excited about the d the whole Mississippi State host in Alabama next week. Connor Earegood: I think Mississippi State too. Taylor's looking great and I also think like they're just they played good b good basketball, good football, right? Like, they've played well. The the Minnesota game, like Minnesota's a tough team to beat badly. That's Andrew Graham: Minnesota does not get blown off the field. Yeah, they don't yeah. Connor Earegood: the thing. And they blew off the field. Like and I did not expect that. I thought Minnesota's gonna win that. And Taylor's a big part of it, but I also think when you are in the SEC's basement for so long Like there has been a concerted effort to make this a better team a through recruiting over years and I think we haven't seen it because of tough scheduling, because of the fact that they're sort of second fiddle in their own state. I think this is a opportunity this season for them to make up a lot of ground and I I think they are going to rise to the occasion, whereas Drinkwitz's team and the Tigers have routinely let expectations go and slip. And even when they're good, they're not. And I I think they're they're they're the They are the paper tigers in the SEC. Andrew Graham: Missouri could be preseason first in the SEC or preseason last in the SEC and that nine and three seasons coming. That nine and three seasons coming, yeah. no I just a Connor Earegood: And it would not matter. It would not matter. Yeah. Andrew Graham: a shout out Comario Taylor to anyone here, like Finish this podcast, pull up his highlights, and try to find a college quarterback with an arm more impressive than that. It they don't exist. The the dude throws laser beams. It is awesome. so that's like you you you want a Camario Taylor on your team. Everyone should want a Camario Taylor on their team. And everyone should watch Camario Taylor when Missua goes to Mississippi State and Klanga. But anything else? Any other sh Connor Earegood: We're how many where's your show? Go ahead. Andrew Graham: I have one shout, actually. New Mexico New Mexico and New Mexico State play this weekend. And I don't like the game's the game. I think New Mexico's gonna win pretty handily. But Jason Eck, credit to him, wanted a trophy from like the game last year. And they came up with one and it's a chili roaster. And that's awesome, especially for New Mexico, if anyone knows. Like green chilies are a big deal out there at roasting chilies. Like s like spot on college football, like speaks to locality. It means something to people, it's off like it's different, and so like Connor Earegood: Good for him. Andrew Graham: I saw a picture of it, shout out to Sean Ryder who was on the pod earlier this season. He posted a picture of it and I was like, That's I I'm I'm infatuated with that trophy off the rip. Like just I love it. So that w that's what I just wanted to get that levity in at Connor Earegood: I love it. We yeah. Andrew Graham: the end here. Connor Earegood: Shout out I'm gonna have. The land grant next year is back. Believe at Penn State. Andrew Graham: Ooh That'll be fun. Connor Earegood: That was what Scott Dockerman reported for the Athletic in in their sort of big Andrew Graham: The renovated Penn State. Connor Earegood: scheduling renovated. It's it's gonna be really interesting. Andrew Graham: Yeah, Beaver Stadium's getting some stuff done. Connor Earegood: If it if it is if it is truly the the finale, and if it's gonna be protected or anything like that. It's an ugly trophy and it's a manufactured rivalry, but Michigan State really needs that. Andrew Graham: Absolutely. Connor Earegood: they need to have a game to look forward to and something to to fill that last weekend so the stadium isn't bare. The Rutgers game two years ago was bad and was probably the start of the downfall. Andrew Graham: Bleak. Yeah. Connor Earegood: So of of the Smith year. I mean the downfall was Tucker, but Andrew Graham: The Connor Earegood: so shout out shout out the land grant, shout out the ugliest trophy, shout out State College, Pennsylvania, that I think is criminally slept on, even though it's it's just in the sticks and there's not much to do. It's insane. Andrew Graham: Speaking of hard places to get to like Starkville, like it's similar it's yeah. Connor Earegood: You can't fly a jet to their airport 'cause it's too small. Andrew Graham: No, I was Connor Earegood: crazy. But I digress. We are. Andrew Graham: well you you can, you just can't fly the ones that get to Los Angeles when you have to make that trip. So like really as like Connor Earegood: That's true. Andrew Graham: well I'm not gonna get into James Franklin's runway extension. But I but I will say on the land grant trophy, I've just always thought it looked like someone just has like, we need to make a trophy, they went and found off cuts of like dorm furniture and just glued it all together. It's awesome. It's hideous. So Connor Earegood: Mm-hmm. Andrew Graham: but on that note, any anything else pressing on this? actually like Connor Earegood: That's all I got. Andrew Graham: pretty nice Thursday. I should probably like get out in the sun before it o goes away for eight months here. But I bet Andrew Connor Earegood: For we're in the the winter trenches. Andrew Graham: Andrew has like a Vietnam flash forward to his seasonal depression coming up, but we'll we'll we'll deal with it as we always do with football and and anti anxiety medication. So until after this weekend we will we'll leave you to it and thanks again to everyone for listening to In the Pocket on behalf of Connor Eargood, I am Andrew Graham. Thank you for listening.