Latest / The Mike Blitz Show / The Mike Blitz Podcast, S2E3 (P5 Divison/CFP Playoff/Champion Picks & Week 0 Preview)

Transcript

The Mike Blitz Podcast, S2E3 (P5 Divison/CFP Playoff/Champion Picks & Week 0 Preview) · The Mike Blitz Show

0:16
SPEAKER_03: I'm still eating my breakfast.
0:19
SPEAKER_01: Go.
0:21
SPEAKER_03: Try to knock that out.
0:27
SPEAKER_01: Go.
0:31
SPEAKER_04: Welcome, ladies and gentlemen.
0:33
SPEAKER_04: Welcome to the Mike Blitz Podcast.
0:36
SPEAKER_04: I'm your host, Mike Wade, my co-host over there.
0:37
SPEAKER_04: Mike White is still a mouthful of food.
0:39
SPEAKER_04: Go ahead, bud.
0:40
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, you have a mouthful of food.
0:42
SPEAKER_03: That's that's just great.
0:46
SPEAKER_04: This is a little um uncouth for us.
0:48
SPEAKER_04: We are recording um at uh in the morning.
0:50
SPEAKER_04: Uh schedule's got a little weird.
0:52
SPEAKER_04: Week zero is a weird week of college football anyway, so it's kind of fitting with the with, you know, kind of with the season, so to speak.
0:58
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, we're getting weird.
0:59
SPEAKER_03: We're jumping into it.
1:00
SPEAKER_03: It is time for college football.
1:02
SPEAKER_03: The wait is over, kinda.
1:04
SPEAKER_04: Kinda, yeah.
1:06
SPEAKER_04: This is that weird teaser week where you're you're still watching Little League, which I talked about last week.
1:10
SPEAKER_04: Some of the high school all-star games are on.
1:13
SPEAKER_04: There's tons of news coming out, but in terms of games itself, like it's not it's not a lot.
1:18
SPEAKER_04: And the week zero slate is really light, so we're gonna talk a little bit about that.
1:21
SPEAKER_04: Um, but you know, we'll start, we'll still start episodes as we always do.
1:24
SPEAKER_04: Uh, Mike, what are you drinking?
1:25
SPEAKER_03: I'm drinking high quality H2O.
1:29
SPEAKER_04: Ooh, that's nice.
1:31
SPEAKER_03: That's nice.
1:32
SPEAKER_04: What do you guys it cold?
1:33
SPEAKER_04: Is it filter?
1:34
SPEAKER_04: Is it bubbling?
1:35
SPEAKER_03: It is cold.
1:36
SPEAKER_03: It's it's it's refreshing.
1:37
SPEAKER_03: It's nice.
1:38
SPEAKER_04: That's nice.
1:38
SPEAKER_04: Nice.
1:39
SPEAKER_04: I'm actually drinking my coffee.
1:40
SPEAKER_04: I'm the kind of guy who pours his cup of coffee at like eight o'clock and I drink it until 11:30 noon every day.
1:45
SPEAKER_04: So I'm actually still drinking my um low acid coffee.
1:50
SPEAKER_04: Um, and it's really, really quite nice.
1:52
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, I cannot drink hot coffee.
1:54
SPEAKER_03: I have to wait until it gets like room temperature.
1:56
SPEAKER_04: I love hot coffee.
1:58
SPEAKER_04: I mean, I'll drink hot coffee even if it's 100 degrees outside.
2:00
SPEAKER_04: I don't know.
2:00
SPEAKER_04: People love iced coffee.
2:01
SPEAKER_04: I can't get into it.
2:02
SPEAKER_04: It's not my thing.
2:02
SPEAKER_04: So, what are you gonna do?
2:04
SPEAKER_04: Um, what else is new with you, man?
2:05
SPEAKER_04: Uh, how are you prepping your week zero?
2:07
SPEAKER_04: What's what else is going on?
2:08
SPEAKER_03: What else is new with me?
2:10
SPEAKER_03: Poison ivy is the dumbest thing on the planet earth.
2:12
SPEAKER_04: Correct.
2:13
SPEAKER_03: You don't even know you get into it, and then a week later you have a terrible rash that breaks out.
2:18
SPEAKER_03: It's the most passive-aggressive plant that there is.
2:22
SPEAKER_03: I got that all over my legs because I spent like 26 hours working on Fatio last weekend, as you know, or the weekend before.
2:29
SPEAKER_03: But yeah.
2:30
SPEAKER_04: Unpopular opinion.
2:31
SPEAKER_04: Cancel uh Poison Ivy.
2:33
SPEAKER_04: Let's just get rid of it.
2:34
SPEAKER_03: Cancel it right out.
2:35
SPEAKER_03: Let's just cancel it.
2:36
SPEAKER_04: Uh, good stuff, good stuff.
2:37
SPEAKER_04: Uh, not a lot new with me, spent the week at the beach with the family.
2:40
SPEAKER_04: It was awesome.
2:41
SPEAKER_04: Uh, while I was there, I was kind of doing uh kind of college football adjacent things.
2:44
SPEAKER_04: I recently watched the uh Mantai Teo documentary on Netflix, which I highly recommend if you haven't seen it already.
2:51
SPEAKER_04: Those of you who kind of don't know the story, Mantio, all-world linebacker in Notre Dame, crazy recruitment story.
2:56
SPEAKER_04: Uh, he was catfished in 2012, which is like before catfishing was really a thing, and this person was posing as a romantic interest um back in Hawaii, and he had a real connection with this person.
3:08
SPEAKER_04: Turned out it was not that person, and it was kind of all big ruse, and it was a whole story.
3:12
SPEAKER_04: And back in 2012, like everybody was like dunking on Manteiteo a lot.
3:18
SPEAKER_04: Like, how could you fall for this?
3:20
SPEAKER_04: So and so and so and so.
3:21
SPEAKER_04: And the whole the documentary told the perspective from his side, which was like really eye-opening for me.
3:28
SPEAKER_04: I remember reading that dead spin piece, I remember just laughing at him.
3:31
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, I remember being like, What an idiot.
3:34
SPEAKER_03: Correct.
3:35
SPEAKER_03: He also, to be fair, he also got like Tin Tebow levels of media love and hype before that.
3:42
SPEAKER_03: So it was kind of like the media backtracking a little bit on hyping him up so much.
3:47
SPEAKER_04: Totally, totally.
3:48
SPEAKER_04: But also, I I mean, I I also didn't realize how complicated the hoax was.
3:51
SPEAKER_04: Like, there was like several parties that helped confirm this person was real.
3:55
SPEAKER_04: A lot of people could have fallen for that.
3:57
SPEAKER_04: My my main takeaway was that was like the world kind of owes that guy an apology because he got just torn to pieces for what for what happened to him.
4:04
SPEAKER_03: And yeah, it's there's always gonna be a certain level in those cases where it's like, who are the adults in the room?
4:13
SPEAKER_03: Because these are adults talking about, you know, a 19, 20-year-old kid.
4:18
SPEAKER_03: At the same time, if you're gonna date a girl for like three years, you should probably meet her or have some sort of in-person contact.
4:26
SPEAKER_04: That's probably true.
4:26
SPEAKER_04: If you haven't seen it and you're looking for something to watch week zero, because this if this week zero slate doesn't uh tantalize your college football taste buds, the Manti Tao is a great uh way to kind of fill that gap.
4:36
SPEAKER_04: It's college football adjacent.
4:38
SPEAKER_03: Um I also have a recommendation.
4:40
SPEAKER_03: Just go watch Rudy.
4:41
SPEAKER_04: Another, another that's we're that's the this will be the only time in the history of this podcast where Mike and I ever recommend two Notre Dame non-football related or non-college football actual viewing.
4:52
SPEAKER_04: Uh Rudy and of course uh Minnesota.
4:55
SPEAKER_04: Just go watch Rudy.
4:56
SPEAKER_04: It's a good movie.
4:56
SPEAKER_04: It's a good movie.
4:57
SPEAKER_04: Uh cool.
4:58
SPEAKER_04: So we're gonna move on.
4:58
SPEAKER_04: So uh today's slate is pretty brief, but we're gonna real quick, real quick.
5:02
SPEAKER_03: I want to give a shout out uh to a friend of the program, uh Brett Merrick of Merrick 3D.
5:07
SPEAKER_03: I'm gonna I'm gonna unveil some really cool swag that uh that he sent me on his own.
5:12
SPEAKER_03: Um I want to thank him for that.
5:14
SPEAKER_03: It's really, really cool.
5:15
SPEAKER_03: Um our schedules got wonky, and I'm out of the house today, uh, or else you'd see it in the background.
5:22
SPEAKER_03: But uh keep that in mind.
5:23
SPEAKER_03: Uh check out check out his website, check out his Facebook, uh Brett Merrick, Merrick3D.
5:29
SPEAKER_03: 3D printed us some really cool stuff.
5:31
SPEAKER_03: Uh so you'll be seeing more of that uh in the future.
5:34
SPEAKER_03: So thank you.
5:34
SPEAKER_03: Thank you, Brett.
5:35
SPEAKER_04: Thank you, Brett.
5:36
SPEAKER_04: Well, and so keep keep a keep a look on that for our week one preview show.
5:38
SPEAKER_04: We'll back, we'll be back in our respective studios and you'll you'll get it you'll get a you'll get a good look at that.
5:42
SPEAKER_04: I'm excited to see it too.
5:43
SPEAKER_04: That's what was radical.
5:45
SPEAKER_04: Uh so yeah, today's slate's pretty light.
5:47
SPEAKER_04: We're gonna talk a little bit about week zero of the, you know, there's only 11 games.
5:51
SPEAKER_04: Uh most of them are pretty bad.
5:53
SPEAKER_04: Um, but we're also gonna do um, because it's the last, we are at the precipice of college football beginning.
5:58
SPEAKER_04: We're about to start, we're gonna do some picks.
6:00
SPEAKER_04: So, what Mike and I are gonna do is we're gonna go through the power five, the five power five conferences, and we're gonna pick the division winners.
6:07
SPEAKER_04: Or we're gonna we're gonna do a draft.
6:08
SPEAKER_04: Like I'll pick first, uh, Michael pick second and third, I'll pick fourth, fifth, etc., until they're all picked.
6:14
SPEAKER_04: Now the Big 12 and Pac-12 are they're not doing divisions this year.
6:17
SPEAKER_04: They're doing so we're just doing we're looking for the top two teams.
6:20
SPEAKER_04: We're looking for what we're picking are really are the teams that are going to play in the conference championship game.
6:25
SPEAKER_04: That's really what it is.
6:26
SPEAKER_04: And we're gonna see, but the thing is, each person can only pick them once.
6:29
SPEAKER_04: So if say if Mike picks Alabama, I can't pick Alabama, I have to pick Georgia or I pick sorry, I'd pick say an Am or L S E or something like that.
6:37
SPEAKER_04: So this is kind of give us going to give you a sense of how we are confident about our picks for each division, and we're just gonna roll through those five.
6:44
SPEAKER_04: We'll also hit you with our um uh college football playoff predictions and our national championship predictions, all of which will be fun fodder to dunk on us uh come December when all of our picks are horribly wrong and we don't know what we're talking about, so it'll be fun to revisit.
6:58
SPEAKER_04: So we're gonna do that.
6:59
SPEAKER_04: And then, of course, we're gonna quickly highlight week zero.
7:01
SPEAKER_04: Anything else to add on that, Mr.
7:03
SPEAKER_04: White?
7:04
SPEAKER_03: No, that sounds good to me.
7:06
SPEAKER_03: We're gonna run through it, keep it, keep it light and breezy today, and uh and and hopefully have a little quicker show for you.
7:12
SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
7:13
SPEAKER_04: Uh so let's get right in.
7:14
SPEAKER_04: Uh, do you want to pick first or do you want me to go first?
7:17
SPEAKER_03: Uh I like it when you go first in these scenarios.
7:20
SPEAKER_04: All right, cool.
7:21
SPEAKER_04: I'm gonna do it.
7:22
SPEAKER_04: So I'm gonna go with the team that I feel the most confident is going to win their division.
7:26
SPEAKER_04: And I hate to say it, but I gotta go with Ohio State.
7:29
SPEAKER_04: Uh some Ohio State is my number one pick.
7:32
SPEAKER_04: I just think they're, I mean, I think Michigan could challenge.
7:34
SPEAKER_04: Who knows about Penn State, but I just I just think Ohio State is just a cut above everyone.
7:38
SPEAKER_04: So of all the divisions, of the 10 teams that will play in the Power Five Conference Championships, I am the most confident that they will be there.
7:45
SPEAKER_04: So I'm gonna take the sure thing, get a point on the board for myself, and I'm gonna take Ohio State.
7:49
SPEAKER_04: Mike, give me your second and third picks.
7:53
SPEAKER_03: Uh, so I am gonna go ahead and pull Alabama.
7:58
SPEAKER_03: Uh they're they're pretty quick and easy.
8:00
SPEAKER_03: Yep.
8:01
SPEAKER_03: Um I think that that's kind of a no-brainer.
8:05
SPEAKER_03: So I'm gonna go Obama, and then um for the ACC, I'm going to go Miami.
8:16
SPEAKER_04: Miami, interesting.
8:17
SPEAKER_04: Okay, okay.
8:18
SPEAKER_04: So that's there's the ACC as well.
8:20
SPEAKER_04: I think ACC, I see ACC is a four-team race.
8:22
SPEAKER_04: So that's but I mean Miami's a good pick.
8:24
SPEAKER_04: As everyone knows, I'm high on Tyler Van Dyke this year.
8:25
SPEAKER_04: My own crystal ball.
8:26
SPEAKER_04: Okay, okay.
8:27
SPEAKER_04: I like that.
8:28
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, I think that that is definitely gonna come down to the Miami Pitt game.
8:32
SPEAKER_03: I mean, the winner of that game wins the coastal.
8:35
SPEAKER_03: I think it's a little bit of a toss-up.
8:37
SPEAKER_03: Uh Miami plays at Clemson, uh, which is their and they host Pitt.
8:43
SPEAKER_03: Uh Pitt dodges Clemson entirely, so their toughest game is the Miami game.
8:47
SPEAKER_03: So Pitt could easily take that.
8:49
SPEAKER_03: It's really gonna come down to to that Pitt Miami game.
8:52
SPEAKER_03: Because Pitt can still slip up in the ACC.
8:54
SPEAKER_03: I could see it.
8:55
SPEAKER_04: I could see it.
8:56
SPEAKER_04: Uh so I guess I get I get two picks now.
8:58
SPEAKER_04: I'm gonna start with uh I gotta pick Georgia.
9:00
SPEAKER_04: I know I don't want Georgia necessarily to get there, but I, you know, looking at the East, I think is the situation where they are cut above um at Nat right now, you know, week zero.
9:10
SPEAKER_04: Uh, we could be having a wildly different conversation, of course, week seven.
9:13
SPEAKER_04: Who knows?
9:13
SPEAKER_04: Them Tennessee Volunteers might play some defense this year.
9:16
SPEAKER_04: Uh, Kentucky could get plucky, Anthony Richardson and Florida could pull it together, who knows?
9:21
SPEAKER_04: But I mean, right now, I gotta go with Georgia.
9:23
SPEAKER_03: I just this is that seems like a good Yeah, Georgia is a pretty safe bet.
9:26
SPEAKER_03: Um, just based on the scheduling that they've got.
9:30
SPEAKER_03: Kentucky is uh the Vegas favorite to uh compete for the number two spot, but they've got Ole Miss and Mississippi State as well as Tennessee.
9:39
SPEAKER_03: Um Mississippi State and Ole Miss are both gonna be good this year.
9:43
SPEAKER_03: Mississippi State picked to be in the top 25 by a lot of a lot of folks.
9:46
SPEAKER_03: Mike Leach uh doing what Mike Leach does at Mississippi State.
9:50
SPEAKER_03: They're gonna be that's gonna be a tough, tough game for them.
9:53
SPEAKER_03: Kentucky plays at Tennessee, uh, which you know that that's a that's another one.
9:59
SPEAKER_03: So I think for the two spot, you know, you're looking at a toss-up between uh Kentucky and Tennessee, but yeah, Georgia's that clear number one.
10:06
SPEAKER_04: Nice, nice.
10:07
SPEAKER_04: All right, so now I get to pick again, uh, because my my the number five pick.
10:12
SPEAKER_04: Uh I'm gonna go with uh Utah.
10:16
SPEAKER_04: Uh I think I think the Pac-12 is a it's really a three-team race, and two of the three teams that I'm thinking about, I'm not gonna give away, not gonna tell Mike, the three of the I think it's the three decent teams have a shot of it, and I want to make sure to get one of them.
10:28
SPEAKER_04: Utah is uh currently the favorite to win the Pac-12, and for good reason.
10:31
SPEAKER_04: They're bringing the most back.
10:33
SPEAKER_04: Uh uh Cam Rising is a uh is a great quarterback.
10:35
SPEAKER_04: They've got a ton of returning talent on defense, and the Pac-12, the collapse, the fall-off after um after those top three teams is substantial.
10:44
SPEAKER_04: They're also getting a lot of the toughest games at home.
10:47
SPEAKER_04: Uh, I think Utah being in the Pac being one of the two teams in the Pac-12 championship is a really solid bet.
10:52
SPEAKER_04: So I feel really good about that.
10:55
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, I would agree with you.
10:56
SPEAKER_03: Utah is actually one of my picks to to potentially compete for uh a spot in the playoff.
11:02
SPEAKER_03: Okay.
11:02
SPEAKER_03: Um that that's another race where it's gonna come down to the head-to-head between Utah and USC.
11:08
SPEAKER_03: Um, I actually really like Utah as well to win the division.
11:12
SPEAKER_03: I'm gonna go USC just because I have to.
11:15
SPEAKER_03: It's the winner of that game.
11:17
SPEAKER_03: Uh so it could really go either way.
11:19
SPEAKER_03: But I do like Utah um just because of their physicality.
11:23
SPEAKER_03: I think with what USC has, they've got a ton of skill players that they plucked from the portal.
11:28
SPEAKER_03: They've got Caleb Williams, obviously, but Utah um was mauling folks in the trenches uh and has an excellent run game.
11:37
SPEAKER_03: Uh so for the game's purposes, for our game, um, I have to pick USC.
11:44
SPEAKER_03: For life's purposes, I'm going Utah.
11:47
SPEAKER_04: All right, so give what's your next?
11:48
SPEAKER_04: You got I got USC.
11:49
SPEAKER_04: Who who's who's next?
11:51
SPEAKER_03: Um, I'm gonna go with Oklahoma in the Big 12.
11:56
SPEAKER_04: Ooh, interesting.
11:57
SPEAKER_04: Okay.
11:58
SPEAKER_04: That's your that's your the the Big 12.
12:00
SPEAKER_04: We've no we have no picks at so you're that you are more confident in them going to Big 12 championship than anybody else.
12:05
SPEAKER_04: I want to hear that explanation.
12:06
SPEAKER_03: What are well, I'm getting lost in the game here because I don't know what we're doing.
12:12
SPEAKER_03: Um I think, yeah, they're they're the they're the odds favorite by by a pretty large margin.
12:18
SPEAKER_03: I think they're just a safe bet to to win the Big 12.
12:20
SPEAKER_03: They're gonna have an excellent offense.
12:22
SPEAKER_03: Other than that, the Big 12 is um pretty wide open.
12:25
SPEAKER_03: Uh, Texas, Oklahoma State, and Baylor all competing.
12:28
SPEAKER_03: I I like Baylor a lot, but uh for the purposes of the game, I like Oklahoma as the safest bet.
12:35
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, I mean they have I mean their blue chip program, they're always well coached, they always win 10-11 games.
12:40
SPEAKER_04: And you know, obviously, this is a new regime with a new quarterback, new coach, new coordinators, but they're still Oklahoma and they're still playing the Big 12.
12:47
SPEAKER_04: So, you know, that's a that's a it's a wise, it's a wise bet.
12:50
SPEAKER_04: I get that.
12:51
SPEAKER_04: All right, so I'm doing the next two.
12:53
SPEAKER_04: Um uh I'm gonna take uh Clemson because uh they are that's that's that's one team going against Miami.
13:01
SPEAKER_04: This is where we diverge because Clemson's a really good team.
13:04
SPEAKER_04: Clemson's got a lot of players, Clemson's got a lot of talent.
13:06
SPEAKER_04: I realize I recognize the woes they have on the replacing both coordinators.
13:10
SPEAKER_04: I recognize DJ U not being who he was, um, but it's still an all-world defense, and yeah there just aren't that many defenses in the ACC.
13:17
SPEAKER_04: And if DJ U could just get a little bit better, um they are clearly, I think, I mean, obviously that they're gonna chit they're gonna challenge Miami.
13:24
SPEAKER_04: So I'll go with Clemson.
13:26
SPEAKER_04: Um and obviously my next one, obviously, uh Baylor.
13:30
SPEAKER_04: I love Baylor.
13:31
SPEAKER_04: I'm just gonna continue.
13:32
SPEAKER_04: Dave Viranda.
13:33
SPEAKER_03: We're both big Dave Randa fans.
13:35
SPEAKER_04: Big Dave Viranda fans, so I'm gonna continue to take Baylor.
13:37
SPEAKER_04: So there we go.
13:38
SPEAKER_04: There we go.
13:39
SPEAKER_04: All right.
13:39
SPEAKER_03: Uh talking certainly back to your to your ACC Atlantic uh pick there.
13:44
SPEAKER_03: That game, that that that winner of that division is easily either NC State or Clemson.
13:51
SPEAKER_03: There's with Sam Hartman out at Wake, um it's just gonna come down to that head-to-head.
13:58
SPEAKER_03: And I wouldn't be surprised if Cade Klubnick actually ended up taking over for Clemson at some point.
14:03
SPEAKER_03: He's the five-star quarterback, uh, ranked super highly.
14:07
SPEAKER_03: Um they they might have a little bit of a quarterback controversy on their hands at some point uh during the season there.
14:13
SPEAKER_03: So I wouldn't be surprised to see him.
14:16
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, I yeah, I mean, well, that that's the thing, is like the floor can only be so low for Clemson.
14:20
SPEAKER_04: They have so much talent.
14:22
SPEAKER_04: They can Dab Oak is only going to let DJU, especially given what happened last year, he's only gonna let him play for so long.
14:28
SPEAKER_03: He's not gonna like a three-game cushion to start the season to sort that out.
14:32
SPEAKER_03: It might even be four.
14:33
SPEAKER_03: I think their first ACC game is Georgia Tech.
14:36
SPEAKER_04: Yep.
14:37
SPEAKER_04: So if you're so Mims, yeah.
14:38
SPEAKER_04: So if you're Clemson, and you're you're thinking about you know, you're trying to the future of the trajectory of your quarterback position, and you've got you've given a whole season to DJU and he's not there, if he's not there the first two or three weeks, get the next five-star out there.
14:50
SPEAKER_04: Start getting him reps, start building.
14:52
SPEAKER_04: Um, I don't, I mean, like, I'll I'll go, I mean, I'll go one step further.
14:56
SPEAKER_04: If DJU suffers through or struggles through two weeks, he's done.
15:00
SPEAKER_04: I, you know, I don't I don't think he's I don't think his leash is any longer, given they've got Cade right behind him.
15:05
SPEAKER_04: Why would it?
15:06
SPEAKER_04: Why would it be?
15:07
SPEAKER_03: I don't know why they would.
15:08
SPEAKER_03: That's why I said that.
15:09
SPEAKER_04: Okay, you're right.
15:10
SPEAKER_04: Good for you.
15:11
SPEAKER_04: Uh all right, whose pick is this?
15:12
SPEAKER_04: Your turn is my turn still.
15:13
SPEAKER_04: I remember.
15:14
SPEAKER_03: Uh, I don't know.
15:15
SPEAKER_03: What what are we picking?
15:16
SPEAKER_03: We're picking uh we've got the Big Ten West.
15:20
SPEAKER_03: Okay, yeah, I think it's my turn because I'm gonna go Purdue big time on this one.
15:24
SPEAKER_03: Let's go, spoiler makers.
15:26
SPEAKER_03: This one was an easy pick for me in the West, just looking at the schedules.
15:31
SPEAKER_03: Um, I'm a big believer in what Purdue's doing with Aiden O'Connell on offense.
15:36
SPEAKER_03: Um, they're gonna they're gonna put up a ton of points and they've got a lot of weapons.
15:40
SPEAKER_03: Um, but they dodge Michigan State and Ohio State.
15:44
SPEAKER_03: They they've got a head-to-head at Wisconsin, which is probably gonna decide that Western division.
15:50
SPEAKER_03: But Wisconsin's got Michigan State at Iowa and at OSU.
15:54
SPEAKER_03: So they've got a bit a bit tougher road.
15:57
SPEAKER_03: I think it's gonna come down to probably one game, but uh, I'm taking I'm confident in Purdue.
16:02
SPEAKER_03: I'm I'm a big believer in Purdue this year.
16:04
SPEAKER_04: Purdue.
16:05
SPEAKER_04: Good stuff, good stuff.
16:07
SPEAKER_04: Uh I'm gonna go uh with uh Iowa.
16:11
SPEAKER_04: I just they've gotta be better, they've gotta be better on offense.
16:14
SPEAKER_04: They're they're gonna be one of the best defenses outside of uh maybe even better than Ohio State for that matter.
16:19
SPEAKER_04: They're going to be one of the best defenses in the country again, because they always are.
16:23
SPEAKER_04: Um, and uh they're just I mean, between Petris and Padilla, they've gotta be there, they can't be worse.
16:29
SPEAKER_04: Their offense can't possibly be worse.
16:31
SPEAKER_03: Um are they gonna be able to outscore a team like Purdue?
16:38
SPEAKER_04: No.
16:38
SPEAKER_04: I mean, Adrian Connell's is probably the is the best quarterback in the Big Ten, not named CJ Stroud.
16:43
SPEAKER_04: So he's gonna, so I mean, Purdue is gonna move the ball.
16:45
SPEAKER_04: I'm not sure about his weapons and support, but that's always been the case at Purdue.
16:48
SPEAKER_04: Um, but I know Iowa's not beating anybody in a score, not beating anybody in a shootout, um, even at the FCS level.
16:54
SPEAKER_04: They're gonna be winning games 20 to 13, 17, 4, 6.
17:00
SPEAKER_04: It's gonna be like it's gonna be Big Ten circa 2002 all over again up in Iowa.
17:05
SPEAKER_04: Faux show.
17:06
SPEAKER_03: It's interesting you say that because last year Purdue won that one, and it was a little bit of a defensive struggle, if I remember right.
17:13
SPEAKER_03: I was looking up the score.
17:14
SPEAKER_03: It was it was not what I expected.
17:17
SPEAKER_04: Uh I think I should I I I actually still your pick.
17:19
SPEAKER_04: I jumped ahead of you.
17:20
SPEAKER_04: My bad.
17:21
SPEAKER_04: You get one more.
17:22
SPEAKER_03: What are we what do I have left?
17:24
SPEAKER_04: What do we have?
17:24
SPEAKER_04: You've got the you gotta pick another team in the Big 12.
17:27
SPEAKER_04: You've picked Oklahoma, and you can't pick Baylor.
17:29
SPEAKER_04: So who's your second team in the Big 12?
18:11
SPEAKER_03: It pains me to say this, but I've got to go Texas.
18:14
SPEAKER_03: Oh, come on.
18:14
SPEAKER_03: I hate to do it, but Texas is back a little bit.
18:18
SPEAKER_03: Uh Sark knows what he's doing.
18:21
SPEAKER_03: They've got you, they just announced uh Quinn Ewers as their starter, which um wasn't a surprise, except that right before they announced it, everyone was saying that he wasn't gonna get the nod.
18:32
SPEAKER_03: So a little bit of a curveball.
18:33
SPEAKER_03: Uh, but yeah, Texas, they're the odds favorite to come in second.
18:38
SPEAKER_03: They're they they can compete.
18:40
SPEAKER_03: Uh, it'll be interesting to see how they do because again, you know, it always seems like they're on the cus.
18:46
SPEAKER_03: It wasn't that long ago that they lost to Kansas.
18:49
SPEAKER_03: They're not that, you know, different of a team.
18:52
SPEAKER_03: Um, and they've had a lot of injuries this offseason.
18:55
SPEAKER_03: Um, they've they had uh a big-time wide receiver go down, they had uh an offensive lineman go down.
19:02
SPEAKER_03: So they've they've they've they've had some attrition early in the offseason.
19:06
SPEAKER_03: And these are big-time injuries, they're not like week-to-week injuries.
19:08
SPEAKER_03: Those guys are out, right?
19:10
SPEAKER_03: Right.
19:10
SPEAKER_04: They also they also have B.
19:12
SPEAKER_04: John Robinson, who's the all-American, probably arguably, I would say, the best running back in the country.
19:16
SPEAKER_04: That certain certainly helps, you know, that's gonna take a lot of pressure off the uh five-star super recruit Quinn Ewers.
19:21
SPEAKER_04: They've got weapons.
19:22
SPEAKER_04: Texas has never been devoid of talent, so this is always like a potential bet.
19:26
SPEAKER_04: Like Texas has always had a roster that's top 10, if not top five in the country.
19:31
SPEAKER_04: It's just been a matter of just delivering on the field for whatever reason.
19:34
SPEAKER_04: So I, you know, Texas clearly has the ammo, always has the ammo to do.
19:39
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, and Quinn Ewers clearly has some of the best hair in college football.
19:42
SPEAKER_03: He's got some flow.
19:44
SPEAKER_03: He's got a mullet for the ages.
19:45
SPEAKER_04: He does have some flow.
19:46
SPEAKER_04: I've part of me is when I saw when I first heard about him, I was like, he's gonna go to USC just to surf.
19:50
SPEAKER_04: Like he's kind of got some of that, and then he ended up going to Columbus for about a minute, take seven handoffs, and then come right back to Texas.
19:56
SPEAKER_03: No, surf, no way.
19:58
SPEAKER_03: He's the new Wrangler jeans poster boy.
20:01
SPEAKER_03: That's about an NIL deal.
20:02
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, somebody get that guy, somebody get that get that in Brett Favre's muddy uh pickup game, muddy uh football pickup game.
20:08
SPEAKER_04: He's got lots of NIL money on the table for that.
20:12
SPEAKER_04: Uh all right, very cool.
20:13
SPEAKER_04: So I'm I'll go ahead and wrap the Big 12 so we're done with that.
20:15
SPEAKER_04: I'll take Oklahoma State.
20:16
SPEAKER_04: They're damn good.
20:17
SPEAKER_04: I mean, they lost Jim Doles, which stinks, but Spencer Sanders, their quarterback, is back for like the 27th season.
20:23
SPEAKER_04: Mike Gundy has proven for a long time now to be a really good coach.
20:27
SPEAKER_04: And again, he's got a good mullet, too.
20:29
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, and he's always been really good at getting his teams to to fight above their weight class and just play better than they will.
20:34
SPEAKER_04: So, I mean, Oklahoma State, they could easily win the Big 12.
20:36
SPEAKER_03: So that's yeah, they went 12 and 2 last year.
20:38
SPEAKER_03: They're always kind of under the radar a little bit, especially with what kind of all the stuff that's been going on with the Big Twelve this year.
20:45
SPEAKER_03: Correct.
20:45
SPEAKER_03: They'll they'll be there again competing.
20:47
SPEAKER_04: Totally.
20:47
SPEAKER_04: And they, I mean, I mean, we're talking about we're talking about the conference with Texas and Oklahoma in it, which are like two of the blue chip historic biggest brands in football.
20:55
SPEAKER_04: So I just want to appreciate that.
20:56
SPEAKER_04: But just for reference, Mike picked Texas and Oklahoma, the historical picks, and I picked Baylor and Okie State.
21:01
SPEAKER_04: So that's gonna be fun to watch.
21:03
SPEAKER_03: See how for all of those of you keeping track at home.
21:06
SPEAKER_04: For all of you keeping track at home, which all of you should be.
21:08
SPEAKER_04: Um, all right, cool.
21:09
SPEAKER_04: So uh is it my pick or is your pick?
21:12
SPEAKER_03: Uh, I think I have not picked an ACC Atlantic team.
21:16
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, um, so I'll go NC State.
21:19
SPEAKER_03: That's an easy one for me.
21:20
SPEAKER_03: Their toughest game is at Clemson.
21:22
SPEAKER_03: They might have one of the easiest schedules in the country as far as um, you know, some of these top teams go.
21:29
SPEAKER_03: Um, other than playing at Clemson, their toughest game is probably hosting North Carolina.
21:35
SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
21:36
SPEAKER_03: And given what they come back with with Devin Lear and what they did last year, um, they could easily win win the uh ACC Atlantic.
21:44
SPEAKER_04: Yep.
21:45
SPEAKER_04: I got I got no I got no bones with anything you said.
21:47
SPEAKER_04: I'm I'm uh Devin O'Leary, not returning that much.
21:50
SPEAKER_04: They actually have the they have an all-star cast of coaching coaches on the sideline.
21:54
SPEAKER_04: Um, no, I'm I get behind everything you're saying.
21:56
SPEAKER_04: I'll go ahead and finish up the ACC.
21:58
SPEAKER_04: I'm gonna take the the last good team.
21:59
SPEAKER_04: I'm gonna take Pat Narduzzi's Pit Panthers.
22:01
SPEAKER_04: Uh as that's a easy.
22:02
SPEAKER_04: If it's not Miami, probably would be my pick.
22:04
SPEAKER_04: You took Miami from me, but I'll take Pitt.
22:06
SPEAKER_04: Um Pat Norduzzi, uh Keenan Slovis, um, those guys, those always super well coached on defense.
22:13
SPEAKER_04: Uh, they are the fourth team of what I would consider, at least preseason, as the big four in the ACC.
22:19
SPEAKER_04: So it's just an easy, it's an easy decision for me.
22:21
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, I'd agree with you.
22:22
SPEAKER_03: The ACC is a kind of a toss up between those four teams, although, and that's this is pains me to say it because you know, losing Sam Sam Harvin was such a big loss for Wake.
22:32
SPEAKER_03: Uh, and I know you're a big Demon Deakin fan, uh, but you hate to see a kid go down and have that kind of impact.
22:39
SPEAKER_03: Not only for his squad, but across the college football landscape, because that removes Wake basically from being a top 20 team to, you know, removes them from contention.
22:48
SPEAKER_03: Uh I did hear recently that um they were saying that he could come back at some point this season.
22:54
SPEAKER_03: So that would be a huge boost for them.
22:55
SPEAKER_03: But at this point, uh it's not looking good.
22:58
SPEAKER_04: No, I mean don't get me wrong.
22:59
SPEAKER_04: And no, no disrespect to the Deeks.
23:01
SPEAKER_04: Anybody who watches listens to the show knows I'm knows I like the Demon Deacons, but they're that team's only gonna go as far as he can take them.
23:07
SPEAKER_04: They're the the running game isn't there, the defense isn't there.
23:10
SPEAKER_04: I they've got weapons on the outside, but someone's got to get them the ball.
23:13
SPEAKER_04: And I just don't, I'll be frank, I don't know.
23:15
SPEAKER_04: And I think I was assuming Sam Hartman was gonna be healthy and play the whole year and ready to go.
23:20
SPEAKER_04: And so I've kind of I'm kind of I was riding all of my hopes on that.
23:23
SPEAKER_04: So without that, I mean it's hard to see I don't know, a seven and five, six and six, maybe worse.
23:28
SPEAKER_04: I don't you know.
23:29
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, and not that you replace a guy like Sam Hartman because he's an NFL type talent.
23:34
SPEAKER_03: I think so, too.
23:35
SPEAKER_03: Um, but they don't have anybody, they don't have a capable, proven backup quarterback.
23:40
SPEAKER_03: They've got Mitch Griffiths from Ashburn, Virginia, local boy.
23:44
SPEAKER_03: Local boy, hey.
23:45
SPEAKER_03: Uh and he's a red retarded freshman.
23:47
SPEAKER_03: So trial by fire.
23:49
SPEAKER_03: Hope you're ready, kid.
23:50
SPEAKER_03: Get in there, see what you got.
23:52
SPEAKER_04: I'm pulling for you.
23:53
SPEAKER_04: GoDes.
23:54
SPEAKER_04: Uh, all right, cool.
23:54
SPEAKER_04: You're behind a pick.
23:56
SPEAKER_04: For me, you gotta pick uh a Big Ten East.
23:58
SPEAKER_04: I took Ohio State already.
24:01
SPEAKER_03: Uh I don't want to pick that.
24:04
SPEAKER_03: I guess I'll take Michigan.
24:06
SPEAKER_03: I don't I don't think I think Penn State is gonna be pretty good this year, uh, but I don't think they're gonna be better than Michigan.
24:12
SPEAKER_03: Michigan's kind of the the no-brainer pick.
24:14
SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
24:14
SPEAKER_03: Um Penn State could lose week one to Purdue.
24:18
SPEAKER_03: Correct.
24:19
SPEAKER_03: So and and Purdue could lose that game, just going back to the West here.
24:23
SPEAKER_03: Purdue could lose week one and still win the West.
24:26
SPEAKER_03: Right.
24:27
SPEAKER_03: Uh just because of the way the schedule plays out.
24:29
SPEAKER_03: Uh their game, again, head-to-head against Wisconsin is going to be the big one uh in the West.
24:34
SPEAKER_04: So Michigan's a quandary for me because obviously, I I mean I recognize I got Blake Quorum, who's one of the better better backs in the country, and the Michigan's done a really good job.
24:41
SPEAKER_04: Um, Jim Harbaugh could just, you know, ever, you know, when Lloyd Carr left in 2007, it was like a just a mess for a long time.
24:48
SPEAKER_04: And he did a good job of rebuilding that program after Rich Rodriguez, um, uh and a couple other folks who just didn't do Michigan football well.
24:57
SPEAKER_04: They're obviously gonna play at a high level.
24:58
SPEAKER_04: I expect them to probably finish second.
25:00
SPEAKER_04: What what's interesting to me about them is people are really high on their dual quarterbacks.
25:05
SPEAKER_04: Uh uh Kate McMenera and JJ McCarthy, I think the other guy's name.
25:08
SPEAKER_04: And they're gonna keep doing that this year, which is crazy because in uh conventional wisdom always in football is if you have multiple quarterbacks, you have no quarterbacks.
25:16
SPEAKER_04: Like there's there just isn't I mean, I I can think of like Virginia Tech with like Sean Glenn and Tyrod Taylor.
25:22
SPEAKER_03: I mean, name well the the obvious one there is the Tim Tebow can't Urban Meyer uh situation.
25:30
SPEAKER_04: Oh, with Chris Leak, yeah.
25:31
SPEAKER_03: Those guys with Chris Leak and I mean, but yeah, generally speaking, you that never works.
25:38
SPEAKER_04: That's what I was thinking of.
25:39
SPEAKER_04: I was like hard pressed.
25:40
SPEAKER_04: I was like going back to my college brain.
25:41
SPEAKER_04: I was like, where has there been a team that's like how to run two quarterbacks out there consistently?
25:46
SPEAKER_03: I mean, Spurrier used to flip-flop guys wherever he was, uh, even at South Carolina, uh, towards the end of his career, he he would he would just roll.
25:54
SPEAKER_03: I mean, he would yank you in a heartbeat, and he would roll with the next guy.
25:57
SPEAKER_04: Sure, but I I don't know if that's if that spurrier legacy is the one that you really want to hang your hat on.
26:02
SPEAKER_03: It's not necessarily No, I'm just trying to think of examples that have been successful.
26:07
SPEAKER_03: I mean, yeah, he he put South Carolina on the map a little bit.
26:10
SPEAKER_04: There were we've seen plenty of times mid-season roster changes that have been the like good ones.
26:14
SPEAKER_04: Like the last one, the big one, the high profile one last year, of course, was Spencer Rattler getting pulled for Caleb Williams, which clearly worked out to be a good decision.
26:20
SPEAKER_04: But to have a coach be like, we're going into the season with two quarterbacks and we're gonna play the game.
26:26
SPEAKER_04: Yo, yo, like, okay.
26:28
SPEAKER_04: I mean, I trust you, Jim Harbaugh.
26:29
SPEAKER_04: I try, you know, I'm okay.
26:31
SPEAKER_04: And like, you know, maybe he'll maybe he'll figure out a way that that expands, you know, what defenses have to prepare for.
26:36
SPEAKER_04: You know, I'm trying to I'm trying to look at this glass half full.
26:39
SPEAKER_03: Well, here's the thing you trust him as long as he's winning.
26:41
SPEAKER_03: That's the type of situation where if he drops a game or two that they that he's not supposed to, everyone's gonna flip on him.
26:49
SPEAKER_03: And then in and what does that locker room dynamic look like?
26:52
SPEAKER_03: You know, I mean, in the age of the transfer portal, um, what how does, you know, how does that work?
26:57
SPEAKER_03: How does he keep these these two guys happy?
27:00
SPEAKER_03: That's the that's the hard part.
27:01
SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
27:02
SPEAKER_04: So that that's gonna be really fun.
27:04
SPEAKER_04: I think I think just from TV perspective, and obviously, I mean Michigan is, you know, blue chip branded football.
27:08
SPEAKER_04: We're all gonna be knowing what Michigan football's doing.
27:12
SPEAKER_04: I'm really interested to see how that dynamic plays out.
27:14
SPEAKER_04: Everything else on their roster I feel really good about the quarterback spot and the fact that so many people are so high on this two system, which never does not really work that well usually, but we'll find out.
27:23
SPEAKER_04: So, all right, moving on.
27:24
SPEAKER_04: That's a lot about Michigan.
27:26
SPEAKER_04: Uh, you want to do your go ahead.
27:28
SPEAKER_03: We did not pick uh Pac-12 North.
27:30
SPEAKER_04: Well, I guess we picked the top two, but well, we yes, we get one, you should get one more pick and you're up next.
27:35
SPEAKER_03: I think it's interesting.
27:36
SPEAKER_03: We've we talked about Utah and USC.
27:39
SPEAKER_03: Um I really like uh Washington to kind of fly under the radar for the North.
27:45
SPEAKER_03: Taking Washington, okay.
27:47
SPEAKER_03: Because of the again, looking at the way this game is played, the way we're doing it, it's all about scheduling.
27:54
SPEAKER_03: Um, Oregon is the obvious favorite in the North, but which is my next pick.
27:58
SPEAKER_04: Go ahead.
27:59
SPEAKER_03: Right, yeah, but but Washington, um they don't really they don't play really anybody.
28:05
SPEAKER_03: They they dodge Utah, they dodge USC, they play Oregon, they play Oregon State.
28:10
SPEAKER_03: Um, whereas Oregon has a murderer's row schedule for them.
28:14
SPEAKER_03: I mean, even their non-conference, they've got BYU, they've got UGA, um, and they finish with three games in a row of Washington, Utah, Oregon State.
28:24
SPEAKER_03: So I I don't know, just to be a little different, I I really like Washington to to have a sneaky good year this year.
28:30
SPEAKER_04: Kudos for zigging, kudos for zagging everybody else's zigzags.
28:34
SPEAKER_03: That's that's zagging hard on this zigzag.
28:36
SPEAKER_04: Zagging hard on UW.
28:38
SPEAKER_04: Go Huskies.
28:38
SPEAKER_04: Uh, that's commendable.
28:39
SPEAKER_04: Uh, I'm gonna take Oregon because you gave that was a gift, a free gift you gave me with no strings at no strings attached.
28:45
SPEAKER_04: So thank you for that.
28:46
SPEAKER_04: Um, Oregon's at the is is the is is in the top three.
28:49
SPEAKER_04: They are one of the three teams very likely to win the Pac-12.
28:53
SPEAKER_04: Um, obviously, Dan Lanning, new coach, uh uh Bo Nicks, new quarterback.
28:57
SPEAKER_04: Um, they've got some studs on defense.
28:59
SPEAKER_04: Uh their roster has just been consistently.
29:01
SPEAKER_04: Mark Christoball did not leave the cupboard bare by any means.
29:04
SPEAKER_04: They have a talented roster across the board.
29:06
SPEAKER_04: Um, I expect them I expect them to compete.
29:08
SPEAKER_04: So Oregon is uh the pick here.
29:11
SPEAKER_03: Do you expect them to compete against Georgia early in the season?
29:15
SPEAKER_04: I think they'll cover.
29:18
SPEAKER_04: I think they'll cover.
29:18
SPEAKER_04: I think they'll spread two touchdowns.
29:20
SPEAKER_04: I think it's two touchdowns.
29:21
SPEAKER_04: I think they'll cover.
29:22
SPEAKER_04: I think they're gonna come up with enough things.
29:23
SPEAKER_04: And Georgia's Georgia is going to be very good again, but they are replacing a ton on defense.
29:29
SPEAKER_04: And while those guys are super talented, they you know, Georgia is one of the cliche schools.
29:34
SPEAKER_04: They don't rebuild, they reload, which is totally true.
29:37
SPEAKER_04: And I recognize that a lot of those guys, a lot of those who are replacing those nine or whatever it was, drafted studs off the Georgia defense, got meaningful playing time.
29:44
SPEAKER_04: Um, they still have to figure it out, and it's still week one, and it's still not um the Citadel.
29:48
SPEAKER_04: It's I don't know why we keep picking on the Citadel.
29:50
SPEAKER_04: It's a it's an opponent with teeth.
29:52
SPEAKER_04: I don't, you do.
29:53
SPEAKER_04: I know, I don't know why I was picking on the Citadel.
29:55
SPEAKER_04: No disrespect.
29:56
SPEAKER_04: Kudos, cadets.
29:56
SPEAKER_04: Love y'all.
29:57
SPEAKER_04: Um it's Oregon is Oregon's gonna have a great game plan.
30:01
SPEAKER_04: Um and Dan Lanning is the guy from Georgia, defensive coordinator.
30:04
SPEAKER_04: He's gonna have some things ready to attack them.
30:07
SPEAKER_04: So I I like Oregon to keep it close, but I don't think they're gonna beat Georgia, which is fine because it's not gonna get in their way of winning the Pac-12, at least getting to the Pac-12 championship.
30:16
SPEAKER_03: And no one really expects them to be to beat Georgia.
30:18
SPEAKER_03: Georgia's coming off obviously a national championship.
30:21
SPEAKER_03: Um they're playing with house money a little bit.
30:24
SPEAKER_03: What about of Athens is that their offense is gonna have to carry the load a little bit more early on this year.
30:31
SPEAKER_03: Sure.
30:32
SPEAKER_03: Uh, so it'll be interesting to see how that changes the team dynamic if they can do that.
30:38
SPEAKER_03: Um, I think they're gonna look to run the ball, be a little more run-heavy.
30:41
SPEAKER_03: So yep.
30:43
SPEAKER_04: But we'll talk more about that in our week one show.
30:45
SPEAKER_04: So let's let's, yeah.
30:45
SPEAKER_04: Let's the Georgia Oregon game would certainly be a game we profile in greater depth next week.
30:49
SPEAKER_04: Absolutely.
30:50
SPEAKER_04: Uh, last two divisions, of course, uh our very own SEC East and West.
30:55
SPEAKER_04: Um, I've already picked I've already you've already picked Bama, I've already picked Georgia.
30:58
SPEAKER_04: Yeah.
30:58
SPEAKER_04: Go ahead.
30:59
SPEAKER_04: It doesn't matter.
31:00
SPEAKER_04: You go make your pick.
31:01
SPEAKER_04: But you're picking the uh you're picking the east.
31:03
SPEAKER_03: I'll go Tennessee.
31:04
SPEAKER_03: Of course you win.
31:05
SPEAKER_03: I'll go Tennessee, yeah.
31:06
SPEAKER_03: I mean, I know that I mean as a number two in the East, it's wide open.
31:11
SPEAKER_03: It's it's Tennessee, it's Kentucky, and I guess Florida and or maybe South Carolina wouldn't have a puncher's chance there.
31:18
SPEAKER_03: Um, but I mean when you look historically at the head-to-head between Tennessee and Kentucky, Tennessee owns that.
31:23
SPEAKER_03: Um, as good as they've been lately, we've still owned that.
31:28
SPEAKER_03: And um, I just yeah, if it's between those two, I gotta go with the balls.
31:33
SPEAKER_04: Where do you get where do you get the dogs?
31:34
SPEAKER_04: Are they either in Athens or in Knoxville?
31:37
SPEAKER_03: Uh Athens this year.
31:39
SPEAKER_03: Stuff.
31:39
SPEAKER_03: That's okay.
31:40
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, I mean, they've Tennessee has a tough schedule.
31:42
SPEAKER_03: They've obviously got to go at your LSU Tigers.
31:45
SPEAKER_03: They've got Bama at home, Florida at home, and uh they go to um Georgia.
31:52
SPEAKER_03: They get Kentucky at home too.
31:53
SPEAKER_03: So that'll help.
31:54
SPEAKER_04: Uh no, I mean I don't have I shouldn't have any qualms with that pick if it's not like Georgia off the board.
31:58
SPEAKER_04: The second place is wide open in that respect.
32:00
SPEAKER_04: And in the exact same vein, yeah, it's my turn to pick the SEC West.
32:04
SPEAKER_04: I wonder, and Bama's gone.
32:06
SPEAKER_04: I wonder who I should pick.
32:08
SPEAKER_04: I will, of course, take your very own LSU team.
32:13
SPEAKER_04: So I was I was I was on somebody on Twitter post this the other day.
32:17
SPEAKER_04: They actually said who's gonna finish second in the SEC West, and it was a poll question, it was all the teams.
32:22
SPEAKER_04: The votes were like pretty spread out.
32:24
SPEAKER_04: They were favored some to Texas AM a little bit more, been probably for good reason.
32:28
SPEAKER_04: They I they're a they're they're they're a they're a loaded team, although they got major quarterback questions.
32:32
SPEAKER_04: I still think they're a year away.
32:33
SPEAKER_04: Um, but the SEC West is tough.
32:35
SPEAKER_04: You already talked about Mississippi and Mississippi State are gonna be good.
32:38
SPEAKER_04: They sure are.
32:39
SPEAKER_03: Artsy State, people are sleeping on them this year, and they were good last year.
32:42
SPEAKER_03: They were good.
32:43
SPEAKER_03: That's not an easy win anymore.
32:45
SPEAKER_04: No, Will Elvis is a good quarterback.
32:47
SPEAKER_04: I like I like Mississippi State.
32:48
SPEAKER_04: Um, Arkansas, KJ Jefferson is Sam Pittman, they're a good story, they're gonna be good.
32:52
SPEAKER_04: AM we talked about um uh I Auburn, while they're in the midst of some major transition, and I did pick them to fire their coach uh midseason.
33:00
SPEAKER_04: They're still Auburn.
33:01
SPEAKER_04: They still give people hell all the time, and they still uh beat some teams, and they still have they're still an SU West foe who tends to show up uh anyway.
33:09
SPEAKER_03: And my my question They're still talented, they're still super talented.
33:12
SPEAKER_04: The point is, I don't think anybody has any clue who's gonna finish second in the SCU West or who's gonna finish last.
33:18
SPEAKER_04: Like those are two impossible questions to ask.
33:21
SPEAKER_04: So if that's true, why not LSU?
33:24
SPEAKER_04: That's true.
33:25
SPEAKER_03: Why not LSU?
33:26
SPEAKER_03: Why not LSU?
33:28
SPEAKER_03: I Arkansas and and AM are kind of the obvious picks for second, but LSU is just as talented, uh, you know, when you look at the roster.
33:38
SPEAKER_03: When I look at Arkansas, you know, I I would all if it was in a vacuum, I would I would pick them to have a fantastic year and and finish second and maybe even compete for the West outright.
33:52
SPEAKER_03: Um, but their issue, I think, uh maybe depth.
33:56
SPEAKER_03: I mean, historically they've not recruited to the levels of AM, Bama, and LSU, and they've got probably the toughest schedule in the country this year.
34:05
SPEAKER_03: Uh, they're starting off with Cincinnati.
34:07
SPEAKER_03: They play, of course, a loaded SEC West, and then you throw in um a trip to BYU.
34:13
SPEAKER_03: I mean, for good measure.
34:14
SPEAKER_03: That's that's not easy.
34:16
SPEAKER_03: Altitude.
34:16
SPEAKER_03: It's true.
34:17
SPEAKER_03: Oh, and Liberty.
34:18
SPEAKER_04: I mean, yeah, Liberty is also a plucky squad.
34:21
SPEAKER_04: Uh, I mean, yeah, no, I agree.
34:23
SPEAKER_04: But not that it matters because the reality is Bama and Georgia are gonna win the East and West, and these are just picks for fun anyway.
34:28
SPEAKER_04: So it's a low stuff.
34:29
SPEAKER_03: But I would not be surprised if Bama and or Georgia dropped a regular season game this year.
34:34
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, I do, I would too, but I fully expect both to see both of them in Atlanta at the end of the year.
34:38
SPEAKER_04: All right, good stuff.
34:39
SPEAKER_04: That's the end of that.
34:40
SPEAKER_04: Uh, we'll post our picks later.
34:41
SPEAKER_04: Um, so now we're gonna quickly do our four playoff picks.
34:44
SPEAKER_04: Mike and I previously established a rule.
34:47
SPEAKER_04: You can only pick two of the four uh heavy favorites, Clemson, Georgia, Alabama, and Ohio State.
34:52
SPEAKER_04: Uh you want to go first or second?
34:54
SPEAKER_03: I'd like to go second, please.
34:56
SPEAKER_03: Cool.
34:56
SPEAKER_04: I'll do it.
34:57
SPEAKER_04: Uh my two chalk picks, I'm going with Ohio State and Georgia.
35:01
SPEAKER_04: Um, I think Georgia's path to the to the east.
35:03
SPEAKER_04: I think Georgia's path to Atlanta is easier than Alabama's.
35:07
SPEAKER_04: Um, I think one of those teams, maybe both, is gonna go there anyway.
35:11
SPEAKER_04: Um, I think Alabama could get slip up, could slip up somewhere, at least it's more likely than Georgia is.
35:16
SPEAKER_04: And that game is in Atlanta.
35:17
SPEAKER_04: It's gonna be a it's gonna be a home-ish crowd for Georgia.
35:21
SPEAKER_04: I think um, so I'm taking Georgia.
35:23
SPEAKER_04: Uh Ohio State I picked as well because I'm the best team in the country.
35:25
SPEAKER_04: That's actually my pick to win the national championship.
35:27
SPEAKER_04: I'm picking Ohio State to win it all, so of course they're gonna be in the playoff.
35:31
SPEAKER_04: And my other two, uh, this should surprise anybody who's listening.
35:33
SPEAKER_04: I'm taking Baylor and USC.
35:35
SPEAKER_04: Baylor and USC to round out my four.
35:37
SPEAKER_04: Okay.
35:37
SPEAKER_04: Ohio State, Georgia, Baylor, USC.
35:39
SPEAKER_04: Ohio State is your champion.
35:41
SPEAKER_03: Mike, what do you got?
35:43
SPEAKER_03: For my chalk picks, I'm gonna go Bama and I'm going to go Ohio State.
35:49
SPEAKER_04: Okay.
35:50
SPEAKER_03: I think that Clemson could, despite kind of the uh despite how we've talked about them recently, they are still a powerhouse and they still play in the ACC, and they still have an easier schedule than most of the teams on this list.
36:07
SPEAKER_02: Correct.
36:07
SPEAKER_03: Um so all of those things add up to probably even with one loss getting into the playoff.
36:14
SPEAKER_03: But my picks are uh my chalk picks are Bama and Ohio State.
36:17
SPEAKER_03: I think those are the easiest slam dunk picks out there.
36:20
SPEAKER_03: Ohio State, especially, I agree with you.
36:22
SPEAKER_03: They're they're they're probably the national champion this year.
36:26
SPEAKER_03: That would be my pick right now.
36:28
SPEAKER_03: Um and then my secondary picks, I'm gonna go Utah.
36:35
SPEAKER_03: I love Utah.
36:36
SPEAKER_03: I think uh I like your USC pick.
36:38
SPEAKER_03: I think one of those teams comes out of the Pac-12 and gets into the playoff, which is awesome because it'll be a first-time appearance for both of them, you know, a new entry into the playoff.
36:48
SPEAKER_03: Uh but when it comes to the head-to-head, I think Utah takes USC, and therefore punches their ticket into the playoff for the second secondary pick.
37:01
SPEAKER_03: If I'm not gonna go Clemson, I'm gonna go Miami.
37:05
SPEAKER_03: Nice.
37:06
SPEAKER_03: The you, baby.
37:07
SPEAKER_03: It's all about the you.
37:08
SPEAKER_03: Yep.
37:08
SPEAKER_03: Although, what was your bold prediction for them?
37:11
SPEAKER_04: Uh Van Dyke would be a highman.
37:12
SPEAKER_04: Van Dyke was winning the highsman.
37:13
SPEAKER_04: I didn't I didn't predict them in terms of records or whatnot, but that's okay, good, because I don't want to agree with you that.
37:19
SPEAKER_04: It's true.
37:19
SPEAKER_04: Can't have any more discourse.
37:22
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, no, I got I I like Van Dyke.
37:23
SPEAKER_04: I mean the quarterback is awesome.
37:24
SPEAKER_04: I think he's I think he's I think he's getting a lot of love, but he's still underrated.
37:29
SPEAKER_04: So Miami getting hot when the ACC can the playoff is well within the run possibility in my mind.
37:34
SPEAKER_03: I think they're they're gonna be a really fun team to watch, just again, because of the path that they have in front of them.
37:39
SPEAKER_03: I think they could very easily either go to the playoff or win eight games.
37:45
SPEAKER_03: You know, I think the middle ground, it could be they could easily go one way or the other.
37:51
SPEAKER_03: So that'll be really interesting to see how that plays out.
37:53
SPEAKER_03: You know, you never know what happens with injuries and stuff, but um, yeah, that'll be one of the biggest storylines this year, I think.
38:00
SPEAKER_03: God can't wait.
38:01
SPEAKER_04: All right, there you have it.
38:02
SPEAKER_04: Those are all of our division picks, division winners in kind of a roundabout funny way.
38:06
SPEAKER_04: We could talk about that.
38:07
SPEAKER_04: We have our we're giving you your four conference champions winners, our four playoff picks and our overall champions.
38:12
SPEAKER_04: We will, of course, revisit all of this uh sometime in December, probably in the bowl season, and we can all dunk on uh Mike and I's horrendous picks and why we didn't see so-and-so coming.
38:21
SPEAKER_04: It's gonna be good fun.
38:23
SPEAKER_04: Uh let's move let's talk about week zero.
38:24
SPEAKER_04: Let's talk about football that's going to be played in like 48 hours.
38:29
SPEAKER_04: We are actually going to see real football.
38:31
SPEAKER_04: Um, I'm gonna start just kind of rehashing a little bit.
38:34
SPEAKER_04: Um, the slate is Yeah, who's playing?
38:36
SPEAKER_04: Who do we who do we We have 11 total games, most of them not good.
38:42
SPEAKER_04: Uh, with one pretty interesting game in Nebraska um versus uh Northwestern in Dublin, Ireland, which we're gonna talk about.
38:49
SPEAKER_04: Outside of that, there are only four other power five teams playing.
38:54
SPEAKER_04: Those are Illinois, Florida State, UNC, and Vandy.
39:00
SPEAKER_04: Not exactly Murderer's Row in terms of your power five powers.
39:04
SPEAKER_04: So just to re-emphasize, um, it is not a great week, but honestly, I'm I mean, and I know I know I speak for Mike, I always say this.
39:11
SPEAKER_04: We are starved for football, so we're gonna watch it anyway.
39:15
SPEAKER_03: I'm not even sure this is an appetizer, it's just kind of like a pre-dinner snack.
39:20
SPEAKER_04: Like yeah, it's like it's like the bread that's on the table before you get there.
39:22
SPEAKER_03: You know, here eat this cup of Cheerios in the back seat um while we ride over to Olive Garden in Japan.
39:30
SPEAKER_04: Or if it's more of a fancy restaurant, somebody put out the uh oil with somebody came with the pepper grinder, just kind of came out and gave us a little bit of that.
39:36
SPEAKER_04: There you go.
39:36
SPEAKER_04: Just give it a big one.
39:37
SPEAKER_03: It's olive oil and a slice of bread.
39:39
SPEAKER_04: Yes, that's not easy.
39:40
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, this is the pre-appetizer appetizer, appetizer.
39:43
SPEAKER_04: Um, so I'll talk about I won't talk about a little bit about uh the only game that I'm really interested in is Nebraska Northwestern.
39:49
SPEAKER_04: Again, being played in Dublin.
39:51
SPEAKER_04: Scott Frost era.
39:52
SPEAKER_04: Um, this is it.
39:53
SPEAKER_04: It is do or die for Scott Frost.
39:55
SPEAKER_04: Um they they were three and nine last year with all of their losses being by less than eight or nine points, something wild.
40:00
SPEAKER_04: They haven't been able to finish.
40:01
SPEAKER_04: Scott Frost is this Nebraska super alum from the 90s.
40:05
SPEAKER_04: They want him to do well so bad.
40:07
SPEAKER_04: It has to be now.
40:08
SPEAKER_04: They have to win eight games.
40:10
SPEAKER_04: I think they have to win eight games or he's gone.
40:12
SPEAKER_04: Um, they are a 13-point favorite against Northwestern, who's frankly not a good team right now, at least we we think.
40:17
SPEAKER_04: Um, so I expect it to happen, but I'm like, I just it's more interesting and fun when Nebraska is good.
40:23
SPEAKER_04: We talk about these like blue chip college football programs that have been around forever and have been good for so long, have these huge alumni bases.
40:28
SPEAKER_04: I, as like a sidewalk casual football fan, I want Nebraska to be good.
40:32
SPEAKER_04: So please win this game and be interesting, right?
40:36
SPEAKER_03: Uh they will win this game and they will cover uh I think 13 and a half, they'll they'll get that easy.
40:42
SPEAKER_03: This is redemption, the road to redemption for Scott Frost.
40:46
SPEAKER_03: I said it a couple weeks ago.
40:47
SPEAKER_03: I think they have a big bounce back here.
40:49
SPEAKER_03: They were so close last year.
40:51
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, and I I hate to say this, but the biggest difference maker is Adrian Martinez is gone.
40:59
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, I was gonna say that.
41:00
SPEAKER_03: It's hard for a head coach to move on from a quarterback that he has basically hung his hat on and and pushed all his chips in, or whatever you want to, whatever metaphor you want to use.
41:12
SPEAKER_03: But cutting that those ties is the best thing that could have happened to Scott Frost.
41:16
SPEAKER_03: They're gonna have a more capable quarterback.
41:18
SPEAKER_03: He is freed from that baggage, and they're gonna have a they're gonna have a better year.
41:23
SPEAKER_03: They're not gonna compete for a national championship, but they will be back to on the right track this year.
41:29
SPEAKER_03: And it'll start by covering the spread against Purple Vandy.
41:33
unknown: Yeah.
41:34
SPEAKER_04: I I uh I really think you're right.
41:36
SPEAKER_04: Uh the the transfer is, of course, Casey Thompson, the uh he's from Texas, who did pretty well at Texas.
41:42
SPEAKER_04: So I actually think not only is it addition by subtraction, it's also just an addition.
41:45
SPEAKER_04: I think Casey Thompson quite possibly is a better quarterback than Adrian Martinez.
41:49
SPEAKER_04: Adrian Martinez did some things well in spots, but was inconsistent.
41:52
SPEAKER_04: He was hurt a lot.
41:53
SPEAKER_04: Um, so I think it's an upgrade there as well.
41:55
SPEAKER_04: I um I also like I also like uh Nebraska to cover, but part of me is just like, just we're gonna cover, right?
42:02
SPEAKER_04: We're you're gonna do it.
42:03
SPEAKER_04: You know, we've got this in the back.
42:04
SPEAKER_04: We're gonna cover, we're gonna win.
42:05
SPEAKER_04: We're gonna start with a bang, we're gonna get some wins.
42:07
SPEAKER_04: Because their schedule is also super backloaded, so they pretty much have to get to six or seven wins like now.
42:13
SPEAKER_04: Like right, they got they they gotta start hot, or they are just it's just gonna be yeah, they they need this one.
42:18
SPEAKER_03: Um it's gonna be bad.
42:20
SPEAKER_03: But this is an official Mike Blitz bet.
42:23
SPEAKER_03: Bet Nebraska to cover.
42:25
SPEAKER_03: We're both in on that.
42:26
SPEAKER_04: There we go.
42:27
SPEAKER_04: There we go.
42:27
SPEAKER_04: First, your first official pick of the season, Nebraska to cover, win by two, win by fourteen.
42:32
SPEAKER_03: People go to Northwestern to study journalism, not to play football.
42:37
SPEAKER_04: Do you know anything else about Northwestern University academically?
42:40
SPEAKER_04: Because I don't.
42:42
SPEAKER_03: No.
42:43
SPEAKER_04: All right, good stuff.
42:44
SPEAKER_04: All right.
42:45
SPEAKER_04: They're smart.
42:46
SPEAKER_04: They are smart.
42:46
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, they got a big brain.
42:47
SPEAKER_04: They're smart over there.
42:48
SPEAKER_04: No, it's big old brains.
42:50
SPEAKER_04: Big old brains.
42:50
SPEAKER_04: Uh, the only other thing that I want to talk about, that's really it, is uh I think um uh Wyoming and Illinois, uh, I think it's a big upseller.
42:58
SPEAKER_04: Well, Wyoming, the Cowboys are 11-point dogs, they run the ball really well, and they've got this uh dual threat guy coming in.
43:04
SPEAKER_04: Um, I think they actually they're 12, 11-point, 12-point dogs.
43:09
SPEAKER_04: Um, I think picking them to cover is a safe bet.
43:11
SPEAKER_04: And I actually think if you want to sprinkle a little bit on the upset, probably get a sprinkle it.
43:14
SPEAKER_04: Spool, sprinkle.
43:15
SPEAKER_04: I recognize that the game is in Champagne um at Memorial Stadium in Illinois, but I I don't have much faith in Illinois, and their run defense was putrid last year.
43:24
SPEAKER_04: So why kind of coming up and stinging them?
43:27
SPEAKER_04: Uh week one would be would one make for great television.
43:30
SPEAKER_04: Uh, and two, I think is within the realm.
43:32
SPEAKER_03: And let's be honest, and use one of our favorite phrases.
43:35
SPEAKER_03: Champagne is not exactly a hornet's nest.
43:39
SPEAKER_04: I knew you were gonna say it before you said it.
43:41
SPEAKER_04: I knew you were gonna say it before.
43:42
SPEAKER_04: I mean, it's it's it's not a hornet's nest.
43:44
SPEAKER_04: It's not a hornet's nest, it's also true.
43:46
SPEAKER_04: Um, that's it.
43:46
SPEAKER_04: I don't even want to, I'm not even gonna talk about the any of their games because they're just the the the the meat is not there.
43:51
SPEAKER_04: Uh is there anything else you want to add?
43:53
SPEAKER_03: Uh well I was I was I was looking I was looking to see what the spread was for the Vandy Hawaii game.
44:00
SPEAKER_03: I like Vandy to win that game.
44:02
SPEAKER_03: Um but I wanted to see it what the spread was.
44:06
SPEAKER_04: I got I I I'm seeing who is that?
44:07
SPEAKER_04: I'm seeing Vandy minus eight.
44:10
SPEAKER_04: Minus eight in that game.
44:12
SPEAKER_04: And that game is uh and uh the Clarence TC Ching Athletics Complex, uh, which in case you're unfamiliar with that venue.
44:21
SPEAKER_04: Um also just make you want to feel old.
44:22
SPEAKER_04: I believe Timmy Chang is actually their brand new head coach.
44:26
SPEAKER_04: I don't know if you remember.
44:26
SPEAKER_04: I mean, I was watching college football in 2002, whatever, when he was throwing for gabajillion yards.
44:31
SPEAKER_04: Um, that's kind of put some age on you.
44:34
SPEAKER_04: That is uh that's the whole that's the Hawaii, Hawaii Rainbow Warriors new coach.
44:39
SPEAKER_04: So hopefully the Timmy Chang uh administration gets off to a hot start.
44:43
SPEAKER_04: I don't know.
44:43
SPEAKER_04: We'll see.
44:44
SPEAKER_04: We'll see.
44:44
SPEAKER_04: We'll see.
44:45
SPEAKER_04: Bandy needs that one big time.
44:46
SPEAKER_04: Bandy needs that one big time.
44:48
SPEAKER_03: The their over-under on total games one is like two and a half.
44:52
SPEAKER_03: I think they're gonna hit the over on that, but um, it's gotta start in Hawaii.
44:56
SPEAKER_03: Correct.
44:57
SPEAKER_03: Correct.
44:58
SPEAKER_04: All right.
44:59
SPEAKER_04: Uh, we said this was gonna be a short show.
45:00
SPEAKER_04: Turned out to be well, kind of short.
45:02
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, about average.
45:03
SPEAKER_04: All right, yeah.
45:03
SPEAKER_04: That's your week zero preview.
45:05
SPEAKER_04: We've given your conference and our division winners.
45:06
SPEAKER_04: Uh, Mike, you got anything else reported for the good of the order?
45:09
SPEAKER_03: I am so excited for college football.
45:12
SPEAKER_03: I'm through the through the roof.
45:14
SPEAKER_03: We had a chilly day the other day.
45:15
SPEAKER_03: It was chilly morning.
45:16
SPEAKER_03: It was like 68.
45:17
SPEAKER_03: Of course, by the end of the day, it was like 90.
45:19
SPEAKER_03: But I stepped outside and there was just an electricity in the air.
45:24
SPEAKER_03: And I want you guys to feel that.
45:26
SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
45:26
SPEAKER_03: Because we are on the doorstep.
45:28
SPEAKER_04: No, I'm buzzing.
45:29
SPEAKER_04: I'm reading, I'm literally reading Twitter every day with new college, new reports about what team's doing what, what players doing here and there.
45:36
SPEAKER_04: Um, no, it is it is the words of Rafiki.
45:39
SPEAKER_04: It is time.
45:40
SPEAKER_04: So I'm very excited.
45:42
SPEAKER_04: Uh, all right, that's my co-host, Mike White, over there in his office.
45:44
SPEAKER_04: I'm Mike Wade.
45:45
SPEAKER_04: It's been awesome.
45:46
SPEAKER_04: Uh, check out our Patreon.
45:47
SPEAKER_04: Be sure to subscribe.
45:48
SPEAKER_04: Uh, we're on the Discord doing all kinds of fun stuff.
45:50
SPEAKER_04: You can find us where we can.
45:51
SPEAKER_03: Get in here because we've had some really good conversations.
45:54
SPEAKER_03: Uh, I appreciate everybody who has uh already jumped on board.
45:58
SPEAKER_03: We've had some hilarious discussions, everything from uh Tom Hanks to uh sesame oil to hilarious NI NIL deals.
46:06
SPEAKER_03: If you've made it this far into this show, you're probably one of our hardcore fans.
46:12
SPEAKER_03: There's like a couple dozen of you, so you should probably be in our uh uh in our Patreon.
46:17
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, in our Discord.
46:18
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, Discord's awesome.
46:19
SPEAKER_04: Make sure you check out uh we're available wherever you get your podcast, Apple, Spotify, uh, Stitcher.
46:24
SPEAKER_04: Uh you'll see us on YouTube as well.
46:25
SPEAKER_04: Uh, thank you so much for listening.
46:27
SPEAKER_04: Uh, love you guys.
46:28
SPEAKER_04: Uh, until next week, enjoy week zero.
46:30
SPEAKER_04: See ya.
46:57
SPEAKER_01: Go