Latest / Dawgs Down South / Episode 133: Florida Preview with Guest Mason Wales

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Episode 133: Florida Preview with Guest Mason Wales · Dawgs Down South

• Ted Turner: Greetings, everyone, on this Tuesday night. Welcome into Dogs Down South. I'm your host, Ted Turner. And man, do I have a special little treat this week right before we go live for our normal our normal weekly show on Wednesday night. I have a Florida fan and a Florida native here with me tonight, but I would say he's one of the more controlled, I guess I would say better Florida fans that I can deal with. So thought it would be fun to talk a little bit. Georgia, Florida tonight. Mason, what's up, man? Welcome in. How are you tonight? Mason: Hi Ted, I'm doing good. How you doing? Ted Turner: I'm good, man. It's gonna be fun. We're gonna we're gonna have a little fun tonight. it is the world's largest outdoor cocktail party that will be the world's largest, maybe indoor cocktail party this weekend. I mean, you're taking your cocktail as we speak, right? Out of a Mason: Yes, sir, my go to. Ted Turner: yeah, out of a Florida cup, no doubt, right? Not that you have any Georgia cups hanging around. Mason: Yeah. Ted Turner: Mason, let's hop right in, man. Tell me really quick, growing up. Right. Georgia, Florida. What do you remember? What's your fondest memory about Georgia, Florida? Mason: I hate to say it, Ted, but I didn't grow up a Florida fan. Ted Turner: Okay, okay. Mason: growing up I was a Nebraska Cornhuskers fan 'cause of my dad. Ted Turner: Okay. Mason: However, when I d went off to college and I went to the University of Florida, I like fully adopted the team, adopted all the sports, and now I'm a diehard Florida fan after now that I've graduated. I will say though, as being a recent Florida fan, I have mixed memories, you know, I mean We have lost four out of the last five. Again kicking our butts about a decade now. But I'm not gonna lie. I was remember watching in Florida, Georgia, at friends' apartments, friends' houses, a lot, my time at UF. And it was just a fun time. I mean, everyone would get together, watch it, you know. I knew all I knew a lot of people who would take the buses out to Jacksonville, you know, and they'd post on their story of going there. It was just a fun time to be around because at least my last two years. they were a little bit more competitive than what they we thought they were gonna be. So that was always Ted Turner: Mm-hmm. Mason: like the so at least gonna go to the fourth quarter last two years I was there, which was at least better than the last, few times. So Ted Turner: Yeah. No man, yeah. mean, obviously you can you're very humble about that, but I would definitely say the Spurrier years, we took it on the chin. Heck, even we were you know, we tried to figure out we tried to figure out a lot after Spur year too. I you know, basically it took us, you know, Kirby to come through and go, Look, can we just make Florida a priority? I mean, this is a big rivalry. Obviously we flip flop recruits back and forth all the time. Georgia, the southeast, Florida, Alabama, it's a pipeline for college football. It's a big pipeline. I fully believe you could stay down here and pretty much Excuse me. Pretty much fill the whole team. but with NIL and what you're allowed to do now, it's much easier to go all around and offer some of the best players depending on what you have. if you're Texas or if you're Ohio State or things of that nature. But, when you do go back to those years, way before that, you're looking at nineteen four, which was the beginning, Georgia won the first meeting fifty two zero. It was in Macon, Georgia, right? Florida disputes that game, actually. it counted as the beginning of the modern rivalry. 33 at Jacksonville becomes home, 1933. Then 42, the historic blowout of Georgia won 75 to zero. I'm gonna get to some Florida stuff, don't worry. nineteen eighty run Lindsay run, Georgia's famous championship season victory featured Buck Blues, pass the Lindsay Scott for a dramatic late touchdown, and then came nineteen ninety. through ninety six where Florida dominated that stretch, seven straight games against Georgia. seven the celebration, Georgia beat Florida forty two thirty. And then twenty two and through twenty five, Georgia's race of control shifted back, right? And that lends us to an era of college football, though, that is a little bit different. you got Florida goes out, Billy Napier's gone. how how excited were you Mason to see Billy Napier gone? And was Summerall your first choice as a Florida fan? Mason: f fun fact, I actually went to Billy Napier's last game against Mississippi State. I was there. And I can tell you the atmosphere in that stadium was no matter win or lose, Billy's gone. And I think he knew that too. There was nothing he could do. And when we lost, it was just, my gosh, fire Billy. And then when the news broke, everyone was cheering. It was crazy. Summerall was not my first choice. I think I There was a lot last year. I think I was really hoping for I just I was worried of some role because I he was, you know, Sunbelt Gary. Small school, group of five school coming in. I was like, dude, this is just Billy Napier two point right? That's what I was worried about. But he I think his complete he's very different in the fact that Billy his Sunbelt style of play did not translate to the SEC like at all. And some roles way more a hard nosed defense guy, which I think that's the SEC ball is hard nosed defense, athleticism. And he has surprised me. I think he's surpassed expectations, at least until he gets to sixth game. I think for me, I wanted to see six or seven wins to year one. And he's knocking on that door right now. You know, he could meet expectation. Already with the wins against Ole Miss in Texas, he's met expectations. Because I didn't see us blowing out Ole Miss week was it week four? I was like, no way. So I was a little worried. I like he was on that lane kiffin train a little bit. Just a little bit. Just a little bit. Ted Turner: Yeah. A lot of people were. A lot of people were, man. And I think Florida, I I I thought it was a slam dunk. I thought Giffen was going to Florida and you know, it would just kind of r re up this annie of I mean, you've seen Giffen and Kirby going at it, Ole Miss, Georgia, and then, you know, he takes a hiatus out to L S U and Summerall comes in and I agree, man, it's like you had to worry, Summerall, Tulane. i is is this gonna be Billy, five point whatever. the one thing you could say is he brought more aggression, he brought more emotion, he brought more passion to the team, at least on the sideline. Billy Napier in Florida could be getting their tail handed to him and you couldn't tell if he was happy or or sad or mad or you just didn't really know. And and when they were winning it was like you got a fist pump, but it was like it was just weird, man, all in all. And so, so I definitely will tell you though, Summeralls brought some grit and and I think he wants to bring this tradition back full circle. who wouldn't want to be the coach that goes, Man, I can take over the spurier days of when we can take this game and maybe maybe t churn away three, four or five games in a row? But Mason: Yeah. Ted Turner: but I think all in all, I mean, even though it might not have been the the right move that a lot of people wanted, maybe even expected, I think it's been a good move. I would say out of him and Goalish, I think I I would give a slight edge to Summerall. I mean But I think the SEC in general, you can't even look at some and go, Well, he's dropped a few. Well, I I I think I think all in all, I think there's a lot of SEC teams that have dropped a few this year, right? The SEC's just beaten up on each other. so it's crazy. So let's let's dig into this game, 'cause this game means a ton it's a ton to Florida fans, it's a ton to Georgia fans. It's gonna be played in Mercedes Benz Stadium this year. next year it'll be played in Tampa at at Raymond Mason: Mm-hmm. Ted Turner: James, but It's gonna the feel's gonna be different. so right out of the bat, how do you think, first off, Mason, do you think Florida fans are gonna travel? You think this will be seventy thirty, sixty, forty, that the the the historic fifty fifty? What do you think? Mason: I think Two weeks ago, I would have said that this is probably eighty twenty, seventy thirty, because drop into Missouri, drop into South Carolina, it's like, all right, we got no momentum anymore, I th and especially in Atlanta. I think with the win to Texas, getting pushed back into the top twenty five has definitely reinvigorated the fan base. I also know that Florida, so for for someone who went there, the school really does buy a lot of tickets for students. So Ted Turner: But Mason: If you were a student, you had to buy a student ticket that included all the home games. Florida, Georgia was always a separate ticket because that included travel. So I know that there's gonna be at least a huge student section there, just from that alone. But I think because of the win that we had, this is a top SEC matchup. SEC network's gonna be there. I wouldn't be surprised if you see it. I still give the edge, I think it'll be sixty forty, just because it's so close to you guys. But I still think that the neutral site is still in play in that sense of you guys don't have Mercedes Benz is huge. I mean, it's a cool atmosphere. I I've never been. I want to go at least once to see at least a game in Mercedes-Benz in Atlanta, if it's the Falcons or someone. But I still think it gets that almost like that bull type feel. You know what I mean? Where it's like you're in a bigger stadium, you're in a bigger stage, you know, this is an NFL stadium. I think there is diff it's different than it's playing in Jacksonville for sure, but I really wish it was home and away. Ted Turner: Yeah. A lot of people wish that college game day wouldn't have snubbed this game for I get it. They don't they want to be on campus, right? They they like bringing this to campuses and you gotta Mason: Mm-hmm. Ted Turner: figure, with the SEC, you gotta think they're gonna be possibly at the SEC championship, the way the SEC is unfolding. And so, that you got in Indiana and and SEC Nation will be there. So there'll be some parts of this game that are really, really different, right? It'll be And I think, even though you look at the Benz, the Benz of common ground for the SEC championship. What's really going to be crazy is kind of like Raymond James, right? Middle of Tampa. this is way south. I would even say that Tampa was crazy as far as like, once again, if you're a Georgia fan, you're like, how many times can I get screwed? Right. I mean, you guys get to, you know, kind of just haul a little bit farther than normal up the way and get to Mercedes Benz. And then here's Georgia's echo from North Georgia all the way down to South Florida. And so we'll cross that road when we get there. But all in all, I think there's a lot of things that if you, if if you look at the game in general, the students, I think keeping it away from campus, you get the student body out of play, which makes games really, really loud. I was talking about it last week and and I'm not scared to say this. If I I I was ashamed of the atmosphere of Georgia Auburn. and I understand it. Fans are fans pay a price for a ticket and you have every oblig every obligation to sit there and act like you're half snoring on your couch or cheer like you make a difference, right? But I was ashamed. I I felt like that that atmosphere was not intimidating for Auburn. I felt like that we had a bunch of no offense, just gripers and complainers and not involved Mason: Mm-hmm. Ted Turner: with the game and not trying to be w you know, no pun intended, the twelfth man. Which Georgia, seemingly gets up for the big games, but we just somehow feel like that Auburn's not a big game. And and I don't know about you, but you just you talked about in Florida, Napier brought that quiet atmosphere to the swamp. And the swamp is such an incredible atmosphere in general. And to hear the swamp not at full capacity had to be depressing, right? Like, what's the difference been as far as if you've been to a game this year and what you're hearing about the stadium this year compared to when Billy was there? Mason: Also, I will give Florida fans credit. I gotta give them when I was there during Billy's tenure though, that Tennessee upset we had my junior year, that stadium was roaring. when Florida's good no matter what, we're there. And we sell out every single game, it feels like. So I know like the fans are there, you know, but when it comes to the energy, I remember my senior year against Miami. That was that Cam Ward year. Gosh, man, it was hot, brutal. I mean, think it was like August thirty first or something, dude. It was and then and it had it kickoff at Freaking three o'clock. Like that, can't be doing that, dude. And once you're getting blown out, it's like, dude, it's hot. Fans were leaving at like half time. It was brutal. You know, but from what I've heard, we're consistently selling out. And I think we're at max capacity. And I think summer all I know all these plans are in the works, but we're expanding the swamp. We're making more seats next year or in a few years. It's like a billion dollar remodel. We're still gonna keep the original foundation, but we're and but we're not pulling a Florida State and we're gonna reduce the student section. We're gonna just make it bigger, you know what I mean? We're gonna pour money Ted Turner: Right. Right. Mason: into it to be more people in there. I think the last game I think we set a record again. I think it was like ninety five thousand ninety something thousand people was for there for the Ole Miss game. I mean, it was insane the energy that's being brought back into the swamp. So I think a home and away game would have been really cool just because we haven't seen that since I think I can't remember back in the d I think it was in the eighties that they had to do it due to a similar remodel that Jacksonville had then. So it would have been interesting to see. And if this was in Athens, I probably would it'd be a completely different atmosphere. Ted Turner: Right. it was it was pretty damn quiet last weekend. I don't I don't two weekends ago. I mean, I I say this because I hope it lights I mean, sat I've already I've already put this out there so I'm not scared to say this, but I sat on the second row, the club level on the Georgia side and I had these these old farts just griping and complaining, man. It's like it's like I can see I was listening to this wife and I can see what she puts up with on Saturday when this guy's in his recliner. Mason: Ha ha ha. Ted Turner: And it's just, man, it's a joke. It's like, can you just for the love of God yell, scream, clap, get excited, be s be a difference maker, right? And so, I don't know about Florida fans, and one I would say for Georgia fans is is if we're gonna be sixty forty, it really doesn't matter how much red or how much orange is in the stands. You gotta bring your A game, you feel like Mason: Mm-hmm. Ted Turner: that gives a little bit of an advantage. And I I feel like that wasn't there and I don't know, man. Maybe what what do you think that is? we me and you have gone back and forth about NIL and I don't want to dip too far into that because we got some Mason: Mm-hmm. Ted Turner: fun stuff playing tonight, but what do you think that is? Because do you feel like stadiums are a little bit different right now? I know you talked about how you don't feel like that in the swamp, but in general, do you feel like stadiums are a little bit different? the price of tickets for some of these games are absolutely outrageous. What do you think about has NIL changed the fan base? Mason: I would say that I'll say this for a great example. Cause me and my buddy from FUF, who's also a Florida fan, he went to UF his freshman through senior year. I went there my junior through senior year. So he saw steady ticket and pri ticket increases. I think he paid $200 for a season ticket his freshman year. And I we ended up paying $280 for a student ticket by my senior year. So it went up almost a hundred dollars. I got the email for some reason still. earlier this year for student tickets because my email still was still linked for some reason and I had to pay over three hundred dollars for a student ticket. And I'm like, dude, that's a huge increase from if you were a five year senior. You know what I mean? if you're going up a hundred extra dollars from the start year freshman year just to go. And especially when we were losing, when you had year three Billy, my gosh, I wouldn't have paid $300 to go get season tickets. I remember I've flipped people would flip tickets, very popular for students to flip tickets. I can tell you though, from the state around the state, from a lot of my friends who are in the college ranks, I know places like Florida State and UCF where I'm at now for my grad school, those tickets are free. It's a first come, first served basis. So I think when you have a first come, first served basis and your team sucks, it's awful. Cause that is really dictated on the product on the field, not even like the cost versus the SEC with us. At least if you buy a student ticket, you have you have buy in now. Like I had to at least go for the first quarter. You know what mean? Or tailgate because I paid two hundred bucks into it. And I think two hundred bucks is pretty good for six, seven home games. Especially as a student who I can walk to the stadium. You know what I mean? So Ted Turner: Right. Yeah, I agree. Mason: I don't know how much NIL is affect you probably know more about that from the private side. Seeing season ticket holders from as a fan perspective, as an alumni perspective. Students at least are still on the cheaper side because I'm footing the bill through tuition. You know what Ted Turner: Right. Mason: I mean? Ted Turner: Yeah, no. A hundred percent. Shout out UCF two, big win over BYU. I I don't know, man. I don't know if it's NIL changing the landscape of college football or, we're just beating up on each other. And I heard it said Mason: Mm. Ted Turner: best today though, and and I'll I'll include Florida in this just because we're we're we're we're doing this tonight, but I feel like SEC teams and teams like Ohio State, Indiana, Georgia, Alabama, Florida. The differences right now is is, when you go from your ones and you get injuries and you get challenges with you're going to threes. 'Cause the twos are playing somewhere else for a million dollars, you know, a year. So like the our twos, they're going off and they're playing for other colleges and they're they're starters and they're making a pretty good so it's it's it's really tough. As far as when injuries happen, yesterday's news of might have been today, I don't know, Camario Taylor out for the year. that's huge. that's really Mason: Let's see as today. That's huge. Ted Turner: huge because of the fact that I said it last night. if Camario Taylor is not on that field, Mississippi State has zero chance of winning football games. They just don't. I and I and I feel for Jeff Levy because everybody at the beginning of the year was like, This is this may, this may give Jeff Levy a another year, maybe, may not. They might just be tired of seeing it. for all we know, it could be if Kamario Taylor doesn't be comes back if Levy's not gone. But I but I don't think I don't think you can get mad at at Levy. I think the offense was electric when Camario Taylor is back there for most part of the year. But you're seeing ones. I mean, look at the drop off that's just gonna happen. I mean, Mississippi State literally couldn't move the football last weekend. They couldn't do it. it looked they looked like a Pop Warner team that was, you know, had to go pull From the other side of the ball and just a kid had to the most athletic kid had to play quarterback so they could at least move the ball. that's how it felt, but it's wild. Mason: Mm-hmm. Ted Turner: let's dive in, man. So here's the thing. This game's being played on Halloween night. I can't remember. I I Mason: boy. Ted Turner: do I do think this has happened numerous times. I know in the past five or six years it's landed on on Halloween night, but but Mason: Mm-hmm. Ted Turner: that typical three thirty start has not changed for a long, long time. I it seems like on each other's schedule, you always know when Georgia Florida's gonna be as far as time of the day. And at least if you're trick-or-treating. if we can, you know, it gets done usually before it's time to get out there and it's dark. Time change happens this weekend. So a lot going on this weekend. But let's dive into some stats and let's get into what everybody really wants to hear. And that's us kind of diving into the game, kind of figuring out what people wanna know, what questions they have. So Georgia is six and one overall, four and one in SEC play, ranked number third in the AP poll. Florida's five and two right now, three and two in SEC play ranked 17. team statistics, a few statistics that stand out. Points per game, very close. Georgia's around 43, Florida 39.6. Total yards, not much, not much difference. Forty four sixty-nine, four fifty. Passing yards, same thing. 20 yards differentiates a lot of this. Rushing is very, very close. 197 and 194. points allowed. Here is the biggest difference that sticks out on this statistical sheet right here. And that's points allowed right now is 28 for Florida, 15.9 for Georgia. Some could say that's strength of schedule, but and then rushing yards allowed. Mason: Mm-hmm. That sounds about right. Ted Turner: Yeah, rushing yards allowed 120 for Florida, 91 for Georgia, and then passing yards allowed 185, 255 for Florida. So when you hear those statistics right off the bat, Mason, like Mason: Mm-hmm. Ted Turner: what do you think? How you think dynamically some of those statistics are going to come into play on Saturday? Mason: I think it shows an interesting fact that our offenses are very similar. You know what I mean? I think that was something that I think people would be surprised to hear now. Is if you were to say, hey, Florida and Georgia, their offenses are almost neck and neck. 20 yards is 20 yards, but that's almost in the grand scheme of things, pretty parallel, pretty close to equal each other. I think the if you were to tell any Florida fan right now what is our biggest issue right now, it's our passing defense. I think our pass defense is atrocious. I think I I was looking at a rank, or I think we're ranked like 225th. It was insane, like one twentieth in the country or something. Is awful. And it's just weird because you know when Summer climbed, he was a defensive guy. You know what I mean? So we were at least expected our defense to be good and our offense was going to be garbage. And it turns out this year it's the flipped. That being said, I think it does change the dynamic of this game because I think Florida this year has been Jekyll and Hyde. We go in, we play Mississippi, we blow them out, we go in and we beat Texas with a backup quarterback. And our defense actually played well in that game. I got that game was really the defense. Special teams is the one who fumbled, almost lost that game for us. But then we drop balls to Missouri, who I think is a very underrated rushing game. I think if you were to look at our rushing yards against, it's honestly we gave up, I believe, 220 yards rushing against Missouri. So that's inflating that rush yards allowed. And then we Fumble the ball in a homecoming game against South Carolina. So it's the this week is gonna be the question of who which Florida's gonna show up? Is it the Florida that can beat any one of the coun the number four team O Mist in the country? A team that can go into Texas with a backup quarterback and squeak out a win? Or is it gonna be the team that loses to South Carolina on their homecoming game? I think that's the dynamic. I am optimistic because I don't think our defense is the type of to win this game. And I'm saying, I think I think it shows that we can win this game 'cause our offenses are very similar. At least one side of the ball is accurate. So I think we'll just have to not allow the big play. I think that'll be the big breaker with us is if we can just keep everything in front of us, which our defense did against Texas, I think we could edge out a win. Mm-hmm. Missouri. Mm-hmm. Ted Turner: Nobody could have ever bet somebody's living in a mansion right now if they bet the fact that on, week nine, Kentucky would be sitting alone atop the SEC right now and Florida. yes, Georgia's behind, but Georgia also had an upset that really just puts it's funny because they have one more game played, but I think everybody is like looking and going, Man, you gotta give Kentucky the heads up. but you know, when you look at Kentucky and they lost to to Alabama. If Kentucky doesn't do what Kentucky hasn't done all year and that's kill themselves, hurt themselves, then they probably beat Alabama, But Mason: Mm-hmm. Ted Turner: you look at the entire SEC and nine game schedule and I think you could see some free loss teams get into the playoff because I mean the Big Ten is about as bad as it's been in a long time. I mean, you you you you can easily say Indiana is not the Indiana of last year. Obviously, Oregon is probably out. Three losses, they're Mason: Mm-hmm. Ted Turner: probably out. Ohio State now, Ryan Day can say what he wants to, but Julian Saiyan is not week to week. I think he's more like if you can get through your season, he may can make an appearance, you know, maybe come playoff time. But if you have a quarterback that got you to the playoffs, are you are you riding that quarterback? Are you are you are you comfortable putting Julian Saiyan back in the game? So you gotta kinda wonder. What's gonna go on with air? Is the Michigan Ohio State game gonna mean anything? Because Michigan's definitely not Michigan this year. Probably one of the I would say Michigan and no, it's it's Michigan, man. Probably one of the worst offenses in college football. Mason: Yeah. Ted Turner: and I mean, well, no, I'm sorry, Clemson's pretty bad. Clemson's only had two passing touchdowns all year, but they're neck and neck, man, Mason: That's crazy. Ted Turner: between them two are I mean, quarterback problems, things of that nature. So And when you look at all that, but but the game, when you look at the the rivalry, that's the big thing. Because I'm sure if you look at it, Florida gets their third loss to Georgia, everybody's going, well, that's what we expected. Now, if Georgia, if Florida can come in and beat Georgia, given their second loss, and put Georgia in a scenario where now Georgia has to go two old miss and win. They have to go back. play a home game against Missouri, who we don't really know who Missouri is, who could have and helped the Amad Hardy back by then. Then you gotta have Georgia go to South Carolina. Is South Carolina peaking? Lenora Sellers had the best game of his career this past weekend. Dylan Stewart, they they they suspend him for a week. It brings him back to life. South Carolina's hovering around going there legitimate again. So Georgia's schedule and Florida's schedule both are really, really Really tough to end the year out. So for Florida though, it's like it's a must win, you gotta feel like do you think Florida can survive a loss to Georgia and still get in the playoffs? Mason: I think it determines on two things. One, if we lose to Georgia, we have to beat Kentucky when we play Kentucky. That's a we have to win out. But Kentucky has to at least be the Kentucky that we think they are, and they break the top ten by then or something, or maybe the top five. Who knows what Kentucky is? If we can we'd have to beat Kentucky, and then I think you have to have some chips fall our way too. we have to beat Oklahoma. That's not a gimme foot. There's no SEC game that's a gimme other than Arkansas and Vandy, and luckily we pulled Vandy, and we have Florida State. Those should be two automatic wins right there. So really the two games that we have to play at at the rest out would be Kentucky, Oklahoma, and those are gimme's. And Kentucky might be the best team in the SEC. We have no idea. So I think we are very s I think we're both in very similar situations if we both drop this game. Because we don't know who's gonna play in the SEC championship, and we don't know if the SEC championship's even gonna matter for playoffs. Who knows what that's gonna look like? Everything's a giant question mark right now. If we're having this conversation next year, then I say absolutely this game doesn't really matter because we expand the playoffs. But right now, there's a lot writing on this game. And I think that's really what makes this year really, really nice. Because I think that's what makes tr tradition and history helps rivalries a lot. But you're not gonna tell me that a game like Penn State versus West Virginia is the same as Florida, Georgia, when both Florida and Georgia are ranked, both trying to get in the SEC. Championship game, both trying to make a playoff spot, both try to you know what I mean? there's just so much writing on this game. This what makes it s must watch T V. Ted Turner: Yeah. But here's I'm gonna say it right now. If you are on the playoff committee, this is your year to just be weird. It really is. It's gone next year. Twenty-four teams are pretty Mason: Mm-hmm. It's gone. Ted Turner: much on the inevitable on the brink. Make it make it a 12-team playoff to remember if if you feel like we have, I don't know, Texas Tech year with one loss, but we have, you know, a team like Florida who have may have three losses or an old miss who might catch a third loss here or there, but still, if you put Ole Miss against Texas Tech, who is picking Texas Tech in that game? Nobody. Mason: No one. Ted Turner: So put the teams in that are that are guaranteed beer. Don't look at the Big Ten. Don't look at the this is your you wiped away, conference championships as far as how you how it ranks into the the slot. So it's one through twelve, regardless. The only thing that's the caveat is that is the twelfth the twelfth spot for the G the G six. So when you look at all that, put the best teams in. So in my opinion, if you're gonna go out, go out with a bang, you put put a couple of nine and three SEC teams in. I I'll be honest with you. Mason: Mm-hmm. Ted Turner: I think a nine and three Florida, a nine and three Tennessee, a nine and three Ole Miss, hell, a nine and three Texas or Alabama, all five of those teams can beat any second any second tier or second place team in any other conference in the country. And I'll I'll put the money on it that day. I really feel like they're Mason: Yeah. Ted Turner: that good. I think the SEC is that good. So Mason: I think the only non SEC team that can really compete is probably Miami, but they almost dropped the ball Florida State, who sucks. Like absolutely sucks. And I I would honestly say a healthy Ohio State with juniors was saying is also probably another one of those teams that's like can compete. BYU just proved that they had no reason to be ranked number two in the country. No reason. They had played Ted Turner: Yeah. Yeah. Mason: nobody. Notre Dame is also one giant fraud, and they need to join a conference here in the next two years because this is ridiculous that they get to play Navy in week seven. Ted Turner: Yeah. Yeah, I don't I don't I don't want to hear the no day pants. Mason: For crying out loud. So I say, man, I say we put you I say we put UF in the college tool playoffs with four losses, is what I'm hearing. So I think that'd be eight and four, baby. Ted Turner: Right. Eight and four. Eight and four, man. Mason: I say we put UCF in there too, why not? let's just go crazy this last twelve team playoff, Ted Turner: I think you're plugging every school that that you are either a part of or yeah, but I'm I'm here for it, man. I love it. Let's just while we're at it, any local high schools wanna just buy for a anybody Mason: Ha ha ha. Ted Turner: have a better maybe Clarewater High School probably has a better record than half of these big ten teams, right? Mason: for real, man. Ted Turner: so let's look at key players. you can kind of I mean, it'll be great on this on the on the as far as the Georgia network is concerned for listeners to be able to to listen and hear your take on some of these players. And the good thing is is you're not a coach, so we're not giving away scouting reports. I don't think Kirby or John Summerall listen to my podcast. Mason: True. Ted Turner: Although if you don't, here's your plug right here. If you haven't already done so, you can please go and follow us. We're on YouTube Dogs Down South as well as our Facebook platforms, Apple Podcast Dogs Down South, Spotify as well, and then TikTok Dogs Down South. But here's the thing. First off, Quarterbacks are obviously not we can go in the numbers here, but I think the biggest category we can see with our quar quarterbacks, when we when we get away from numbers, the two big questions are are which Gunnar Stockton will show up. Obviously, people were concerned against Auburn. Did he get a did he did he get a concussion? Did he you know what happened? He wasn't the same guy. And the real question is for Florida, which Summer All is keeping very close to him, is which quarterback will start? for Georgia Mason: Mm-hmm. Ted Turner: fans think it's pretty easy. I think Gunnar Stockton is your guy, Drew Bobo. he he interviewed right after Kirby did on Monday, yesterday actually and talked about how Gunnar's just been kinda pretty normal, man. He he watched a little bit of film. He didn't kinda he didn't beat himself up about it, but but feel really good about Gunner. Nothing's wrong with Gunner. And I think he's gonna be a key for Georgia. a key for their success in the next six to I don't know, nine games, hopefully. but big question is Mason is who do you think starts this game at quarterback? sounds like both are healthy, ready to go. Mason: Yeah, no. I think that's the question that everyone wants to know. And Summerall probably isn't gonna release that till five minutes before kickoff. I really think he's keeping this in his back pocket just because he is worried about Kirby Smart game planning for either one. So might as well double up, make him have to work extra hard on or work half as much, one of the two. I am personally in favor of starting Jones because I am very much under the impression of If you have a backup quarterback or a not even like a backup, because he's a red shirt freshman this year, I believe, earning your right to start when you play. Cause I don't think he we didn't l we didn't win in spite of him. We won with him and honestly because of him, because he made some excellent plays down the stretch and made some plays with his legs. So I think that given him time, two weeks, working with the ones, because when we went into Texas with him, That was I think, a decision they made on Thursday or Friday. So he was not working that whole week with the ones. He was working probably his split time. And then they realized, we gotta start Tremel Jones. We cannot start Philo. And I think he played well enough to earn the right to start again. Now, some roll in his exit interview after being Texas. Kinda stoked the flames on this idea of starting him next the next game against Georgia. He really talked about how he was proud of both of his guys. I think he's trying to mitigate, I hate sports media. this is kinda like media, but I just hate journalism trying to c create competitions where there aren't any toxic locker room atmospheres just to make a story. I don't like that. I think it's a distraction. But I I would like to see Tramel Jones go out there. Over Aaron Philo, in my opinion. And I think that's where he's leaning. But I wouldn't be surprised if he starts Aaron Philo just because of his familiarity with the Faulkner offense. Ted Turner: Yeah, that's what that's exactly where I was going. I think there's two there's two tales to this, right? number one, Kirby Smart, Glenn Schuman. This is a very veteran defensive staff. This is a this is a defense Mason: Mm-hmm. Ted Turner: that honestly was very fluky against Auburn in a lot of ways. I personally think and I'm gonna share this tomorrow night, but I think the biggest the biggest thing that'll that will terrorize Florida is if Georgia can get pressure with four. And that's where these linebackers from Georgia get really, really dangerous. However, I will tell you, you almost wonder do you trade athleticism of Jones for a more open playbook? Because if you get too one dimensional and you get to because Georgia has has done has done although Buster Faulkner has done some numbers on Georgia his first couple of years, you know, in that same building last year, Georgia Tech came in with pretty much the exact same roster with Haynes King and and Georgia create put a put on a put on a defensive masterpiece against that offense. and so I think you can't be you can't be too short sighted as far as the playbook is concerned as well. So I think I think there's a tough decision to make for Florida. And they don't need to really overthink this. because, you know, do do you agree? Mason: I agree in a sense. I will say this though with Aaron Philo. I think because he is a more veteran quarterback, he honestly runs the issue of trying to make the play when the play breaks down instead of taking what the defense gives him. Because I think he is in that spot of if there's an open lane, you gotta take it. Especially with him, 'cause I think Philo, for being a white boy, has some pretty good wheels. I'm not gonna lie. You know? Tremel Jones is also athletic. And but I get I gotta give Philo his flowers because he does really good on his when he runs. But I didn't see him run at all compared to like throws. He just doesn't run. I wonder if that's just because, you know, there's that idea of like, hey, in the NFL, like you gotta learn to throw from the pocket, which I totally agree. You gotta learn to throw from the pocket. But if there's pressure and a lane is open for eight yards, take the eight yards. Don't try to force something downfield on a contested throw on 20 yards down just because you just feel like you have to make the play. Tremel Jones be maybe because he's a little bit more raw, is more willing to take those open lanes. And I think that makes it almost like you said, it's it's still relied on the run, but it's definitely I think more instinct than getting in his own head. Cause I Philo will get in his own head because he's been playing a little bit longer and Tremel Jones is just kinda going on raw instinct and can't really take that away. Only coaching really takes that away. So I that's why I just I don't know. Cause it's like two different off 'cause I've seen Philo play at his best and it's really good. And I only have one game with Tremel Jones, and it's also really good. So you're kind of in a pickle here. Maybe you benefit from Tremel Jones, because again, Kirby only has one game of film for that guy. You know what I mean? So Ted Turner: Yeah, yeah no. Mason: I think it's just it's gonna be interesting. I think we'll see what happens on Saturday when Summerlow makes the call. But I would say if Philo gets the start. Do not be surprised if Tremel Jones gets in there for some interesting packages. I honestly believe he's shown that he can do some interesting stuff. I think he runs the option better than Philo as well. And I think that's something we were definitely missing with Philo against Missouri and South Carolina that Tremel Jones was able to open up. Ted Turner: Yeah. Also think, Buster Faulkner's had two weeks, so maybe you can maybe you've had enough time where you can be intentional about using both of them. Although some people would like to say that it's hard to develop continuity and it's hard to develop chemistry with that situation and it's not been done well by a lot of people. It just so happens it was Mason: Mm. Ted Turner: done pretty well by Florida in the past with Tim Tebow and Chris Leek, obviously, which you go way back, but I think the biggest situation with both teams though, when we talk about the quarterback position, is one thing, but I think when you really want to flip over to and what's gonna probably decide which offense is more successful is the running backs. Jaden Baugh, Mason: Mm-hmm. Ted Turner: probably gonna have a chip on his shoulder, right? he is from that it's probably gonna be the only time he will ever in college play unless he makes the SEC championship this year. play he's from that Fulton County area. He went to Columbia High School. and so he's gonna be playing in front of a lot of family, a lot of a lot of people that know who Jaden Baugh is. and then, you know, look over to Georgia and you have you know, Georgia's been banged up at running back. Obviously what Nate Frazier we're gonna get, I think the bye week is gonna be was was good for him. obviously we don't know Chauncey Bowens is gonna be I don't think you're gonna see him. I think some people say he's out for the rest of the year, some people say he's week to week. We all know Kirby keeps Andrew Report, just like every SC coach, very close to to to his, his his holding hand as far as his poker face. Mason: Mm-hmm. Ted Turner: and then obviously you look at the touches maybe Bo Walker didn't get. He had a lot of key touches against Alabama. And then you look at Dwight Phillips, who has gone kind of quiet as well, who ripped Alabama apart as well. And so you kind of have that committee style. Although, talk a little bit Mason also about I I do not have his name here, but has done a really good job as well. Who's who's the guy behind ball that's done a really good job as well this year? Mason: Yeah, honestly at the start of the season, Duke Clark, and I will say this, he is the probably the best backup running back in the coun in the country. He could probably go to any other school and be the starter right away and be making like five million dollars doing it. But he's for some reason happy staying back there to be Jaden Ball's backup. But I will say in that Texas game, Duke Clark, I believe, was out. And we had another red shirt, Evan Pryor, who was is able to kind of refill that role and he was able to get some good runs on the limited touches he had as well. Maybe that's more to see on the offensive line chemistry at that point if you have so many guys who are able to do so well. that I know those guys don't get any love anywhere. Ted Turner: Mm-hmm. Mason: shout out to the offensive linemen, but I don't know how well we're gonna be able to run the ball against Georgia's defensive front. We might have to do what we have to do against Texas because they have a very tough defensive front as well, and do some dink and dunk passes, some short routes to extend that team just to get the run going. But Baugh is just one of those guys though that if he lines up back there, you you assume that he's getting the ball every time. 'Cause he can take a he can take a two yard loss and make it a thirteen yard gain, or he can make a ten yard run, go to the house. He is just a very fun running back to watch. Ted Turner: Yeah. I will say that Tremel Jones becomes very intriguing if if Jaden Baugh can't get off. There's a couple of games this year that I would tell you that when the game plan was we can keep ball at bay, no pun intended, then we have a great shot at beating Florida. And I think having that option, like you said, of of well we can run the ball in different ways. Obviously, you know, look at how Auburn was able to run a lot. use the quarterback run. That gives you that extra blocker. It's essentially like a, it's a it's a 12 personnel type thing. so that's intriguing as well. but I think we can both say, in my opinion, now I could be dead wrong, but I could say that the running game for both these teams will be key because I think Mason: Mm-hmm. Ted Turner: as the run game goes, so do these offenses go. Opens up the pass. It opens up the ability to do some of those things. The one thing I will say as we shift over into defense though, I want to know exactly, Mason, what you think as far as I'm gonna talk a little bit, Georgia. what do you think as far as defense? What has to be different versus Georgia to not have this defense do what it's done against other teams that Florida hasn't come out hasn't come out on the victory side of the Mason: You mean what our defense has to do differently? Ted Turner: what do you got to do differently against Georgia that you that that Mason: Mm-hmm. Ted Turner: you weren't able to do in the games you lost? because I don't because me personally, I'll just I'll throw this out there. I don't think I think Florida just scored a lot against a lot of teams that they beat this Mason: Mm-hmm. Ted Turner: year in surprise. I think I think everybody looked and was like, Man, if when ball gets off, it's hard to stop him and then it's hard to defend all of the looks that Buster Faulkner can give you. if his running back game going. Now, back backwards, backtrack, Faulkner is he came out of the, the the Georgia coaching staff where he watched Todd Munkin and Bobo and and Kirby come from a come from the line of if you can get the run game going, man, this passing game becomes really deadly. And I think that's where Florida's Mason: Mm-hmm. Ted Turner: been very successful. Now, it's been with teams that can score with Florida that Florida's fell alongside of the the loss category. What do you think has to be done differently on defense not to allow that to happen on Saturday? Mason: Yeah. I can say this right now. our any team, and Georgia's a perfect example of this, is we need to get pressure on the quarterback only rushing our four. You know, our DBs are our weak link, unfortunately. And they have been in those games where we got lost to Missouri and to South Carolina, they just ended in times against Ole Miss when they were scoring on against us, we just would give up the big play. It's not those like, It's not a death by a thousand paper cuts. It's, my gosh, they're throwing a 40-yard bomb against our DBs because they're just giving up coverage or blowing coverage. And our linebackers can't help in coverage because we have to rush five, maybe even six and blitz just to get some pressure on the quarterback. Now, when we play Texas, it was a different story. We were able to get pressure on h on Arch Manning, only rushing four. And then when we would blitz our corner off the left side, which I haven't seen us do in a while, they weren't ready for it. So I think that's gonna be the key is we just have to find a way to get pressure rushing for because we just need help on the backside. And Ted Turner: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Mason: I think that's kind of George's MO. I mean, I I think Florida is understands their weakness, but I think they understand a lot of teams' weaknesses. And I think they just have to force Gunner Stockton to throw uncomfortably. And Ted Turner: Mm-hmm. Mason: that's guess what they have to do. They're just like, Hey, we can't if we can stop their run just by blitzing and just rushing for and getting Gunner just to feel the pressure and makes on Just messing up the time by one or two seconds, he's he's Ted Turner: Right. Mason: very likely to throw a turnover, which is the kind of has been his the knock of his season, unfortunately. So against Texas, we won the turnover battle. Against Ole Miss, we won the turnover battle. And then and that loss against South Carolina, we haven't turned we didn't turn the ball over once. They just our defense blew coverage. So I think if we can just keep the defense in front of us, like we did against Texas and just win the turnover battle, we can make this game go all four quarters. Ted Turner: Yeah. I like it, man. That gets us into our keys to victory. let's let's do three, man, real quick to cap off this before we hop into final thoughts on the game and then we'll do a little flash round for fun. And I'd love to have your SEC picks for the week. for the rest of everybody else, we'll do our normal picks on tomorrow night. But really quick, three keys to victory. What what would you say for Florida be walking off out of Ma Shades Benz on Saturday night, Halloween? celebrating with their Halloween costumes. Hopefully what what does Florida have to do? Three things. Mason: All right, number one, you gotta run the ball. That is just our key to success. Is if we can get our run game going, no matter who it is, probably ball, we should be able to control the offensive side of the ball pretty well. Our second key will just be not giving up the big play and winning the turnover battle. I'll put those in to go on one, like I said earlier. If we can get at least one fumble or one interception and have us not do that at all, we should be able to keep this game competitive. And my number three is actually gonna be quarterback play. What's Philo or Tremel Jones gonna do when it's third and seven and you can't lean on your running back run on a third and seven. What are you gonna do? Are you gonna, execute the play, get the first down, take what the defense gives you, or are you just gonna go three and out? I think quarterback play is so important in this league now to the point where they have to be a key factor because we give up third and sevens. All the time. I've seen it so many times in those losses. And it's just a such a horrible down to be, those third and lawns. And I think the quarterback play is still something that we have to have smart quarterback play. Ted Turner: Yeah. And to even add to that, I would tell you that every SCC team 'cause Georgia fans love to complain about it. I know probably on the Florida side too, one thing we can both collaborate on, which is not much, but we can say this is getting pressure with four allows you to to stay more physical as far as keeping a quarterback in the pocket, making sure you're not allowing over overextending circumstances where you're allowing lanes for quarterbacks to run. 15, 20 yards on, busted Superman type rushes. but also what Mason: Mm-hmm. Ted Turner: it allows you to do is it allows you to make that quarterback have to make the right decision, which in turn comes into the turnover battle. Because if the blitz doesn't get there, you are you're extremely, you're you're you're at an extreme disadvantage. And I will tell you this, just like I probably think you can speak to as far as South Carolina, Missouri, Georgia versus Auburn, when when we, when the blitz didn't get there. We exposed ourselves to every play that wouldn't get off the field on third down. And we just never really got out of that funk and we kept having to do it and we kept having to do it. And I watched some teams on Saturday that I was pretty pleased to see. I mean, I'll tell you I'll give you I'll give you one example on that. Texas Tech and Cincinnati. Cincinnati blitzed Mason: Mm-hmm. Ted Turner: three all day long. I mean, they just Mason: Yeah. Ted Turner: said, Look, we're content with you having to make the right decision now. I don't know that either one of these defenses are going to think like that. but it was very interesting to see. It's a different style of play, it's a different concept. but when it comes down to it, I I I think you're spot on. And I think some of the keys are pretty much the same for both. if you're looking at Georgia, I'm gonna give three, but we'll dive deep more we'll dive in deep more deep Mason: Mm-hmm. Ted Turner: tomorrow night. But I think start fast. I think for Georgia, if you start fast. You you look at the George Auburn game and you Well, we got fourteen zero and it couldn't close. Well, here's the thing. It's not necessarily start fast to give us confidence and momentum. I think if you start fast, the ability to start the game aggressively could be huge against Slaughter because then you have to change the game plan. Maybe they can't run the ball. Maybe they can't lean on that as much and they have to play from behind, which completely downplays what they want to do, which is run the ball, as you would say, run the ball. I think Mason: Mm-hmm. Ted Turner: number two. very clearly is win third down. I think you gotta get off the field. Third and five, third and seven, third and four. You gotta get off the field. You gotta you gotta make these long drives not be sustainable. I think that's huge. and I think the team that plays with the most discipline, penalties can come into play in this emotions can run high. It's Georgia, Florida. It's a new venue. They're gonna be butterflies. It's different feelings. They're players, They're players that don't even understand this whole with NIL now, they don't even understand what the world's Mason: Mm. Ted Turner: largest outdoor cocktail party is. All they will know is there will be emotion stirring from some of these older guys going, We don't lose to Florida. We don't lose to Georgia. So Mason: Mm-hmm. Ted Turner: you gotta be able to be disciplined, play under control. I think those are three huge things. Real quick though, before we get into the lightning round, what what scares you most as a Florida fan? If you're I mean Not to use those words lightly, because I know Florida some Florida fans, there's there's there's some guy just like Georgia, there's some guy in the Nona Sassa and there's some guy in, Monroe, Georgia. They're both sitting back going, Don't nothing scare me about Florida. Don't nothing scare me about Georgia. Okay, we're not talking about that. We're not talking about Mason: Mm-hmm. Ted Turner: you being scared. But what what kind of scares you enough to go, if this happens, man, it's gonna be a long day. Mason: I think it's like you said, if they start fast and go up fourteen I don't know if we have the defense that can stop that momentum if they start up super fast like that. with just our offense I think is fine. We're so evenly matched on offense stats wise. It is just one of those scenes where if we could just take the defense out, I'd be happy. I'd I'd love a shootout. But I think if your defense comes to if your offense comes to play the way I think it is against our defense, that is just the worst mismatch. And I just I just I don't know what to do with our corners. I think we need to assign some guy in the transfer portal next year from your guy from your team. I'll take your five star freshman. I'll s we'll steal him, bro. We'll steal him. Ted Turner: Don't do that, man. Don't do that because Tim SD's last week, man, a good friend of mine is an Auburn fan. Is like, can we borrow Kirby for a week? And the next thing Mason: Mm-hmm. Ted Turner: you come to Athens and you will partake. I don't want to hear that, miss. I'm not buying into Mason: Yeah. Ted Turner: that rap poison, man. All right, let's go. Flash round. So I'm not gonna I'm not gonna partake in this because we're gonna flash round tomorrow night. But I'm gonna flash, Mason: huh. Ted Turner: I'm gonna flash these questions to you, Mason. You got three or four seconds. Give me the answer real quick. and let's Mason: do you want my score prediction though? Ted Turner: You you can do it you're gonna pick these you're gonna pick these games, right? So I'm gonna let you get it at the end. Mason: yeah, yeah, my bad, my bad. Yeah. Ted Turner: perfect. so here we go. Ready? What does Florida need from its coaching staff to match Georgia's preparation? Quick answer. Mason: We need discipline, special teams discipline, especially. Ted Turner: Love it. Does does Kirby Smart have a psychological advantage in this driver for Florida? Mason: Hundred percent. Hundred percent. Ted Turner: What would Florida's coaches need to do tactically to surprise Georgia? Mason: Go out to surprise him, throw the deep bomb to V B three first down. Ted Turner: Hm. Which we didn't mention that. We're you can have both of those guys healthy for the first time in a long time, right? Both of those guys are gonna be playing this game? Yeah, that's interesting. Mason: Mm-hmm. We have them. Mm-hmm. Him VB three, Dallas Wilson, Singletary and our slot Stockton. Those guys are pretty Ted Turner: Mm-hmm. Mason: dangerous when they're all together. Ted Turner: Yeah. If Georgia wins convincingly, what does that say about the gap between these programs? Mason: It says that Summerle has a long time long wait. Ted Turner: Yeah. If Florida wins, is that a statement victory or simply just just a rivalry whip? Mason: Mm. It's a statement victory. Ted Turner: Like it, who scores first? Mason: Whoever gets heads or tails. Ted Turner: Who has more rushing yards? Georgia Clark. Mason: I'm gonna give it to Florida. Ted Turner: Who throws for more yards? Georgia or Florida? Mason: Give it to Georgia. Ted Turner: Will either team score more than forty points? Mason: No. Ted Turner: Will the game be decided by one score? Mason: I think it will. Ted Turner: I'm not gonna let you give the prediction right now because I wanna I defin definitely wanna get your picks. and you can do the prediction last though. Let me let me pull this up Mason: All right. All right. Ted Turner: real quick. And man, you're a guest. So guess what? You can get the show music. Here we go. Mason: Mm-hmm. Ted Turner: All right, we're gonna pick all these games. There's not many games this week, man, but we're gonna hop in. Mason: Yeah, no. Ted Turner: Let me pull my let me pull my SEC agenda up. We're not picking outside of the SEC because we're not giving those jokers any attention that they don't need. Mason: Yeah. Ted Turner: first game we're gonna pick is the right week. That would help. here we go. So Mississippi, Ole Miss, number 12 rank, Ole Miss gets Auburn. Auburn comes to town. Obviously, Auburn. Mason: Mm-hmm. Ted Turner: In all terms after beating Georgia kinda lays a duck against LSU. This is twelve forty five. This is in this is right there in Hottie Toddyville, man. Who you got in this game? Mason: Mm hmm. I gotta give it a old miss, man. I think they're gonna come back from that loss to Texas. I think they gotta show that they are still a team that's worth going to the playoffs. So they're Auburn's honeymoon phase is over, dude. Ted Turner: I like it. 745 SEC Network. this is number twenty number twenty-three. Missouri heading into Arkansas. Arkansas feeling a little bit feeling like they can do something, man. They're not in the cellar of the SEC. That's definitely Vanderbilt now. who you got in this game? Mason: I think Missouri's gonna mop the floor with them, bro. And they might be they're they're not in the cellar anymore, but they're now in the they're officially in the basement. Congrats. Ted Turner: Real. 415 SC network, Oklahoma. Man, this is this is a game of two teams who are fighting to stay in. I think you can clearly say that, man, I don't know, man. South Carolina's another one of those teams. Like, if they can just stream off a ton of wins and really develop their schedule, I mean, like, if the playoff committee's out there, they're like, Man, throw these nine and three teams in there because they have a better shot at beating some of these other teams than I don't know, one loss or two loss, even another. But you gotta feel like South Carolina has a little momentum going. They've looked better. but they're heading into Oklahoma. Oklahoma still can't find an offense, but they found enough the last few weeks. what Mason: Mm-hmm. Ted Turner: who do you got in this game? Mason: That one's really tough, I'm not gonna lie. I'm honestly think I'm gonna go Oklahoma here. Just because they're at home. I really am gonna go. Their defense I think is just still top tier. And I think you're right, their offense is starting to come a little bit alive. there's only so far up from dead, so I think one score game I'm gonna go to Oklahoma. Ted Turner: I like it. And then number eleven, Texas. You gotta think Texas is the same way. They're playing for their playoff hopes. They got Mississippi State coming to hand. I'm sure Sarkeesian was really overjoyed. No pun intended, or or kind of, you know, preying on the downfall of Camario Taylor, but he was anybody that can say, Okay, I don't have to defend Camario Taylor, I'll be honest with you, I thought Camario Taylor was the hardest prep. And that offense was the hardest prep for any team in the SEC the entire year. And so you gotta think Sark is breathing a little more sigh of relief. Now, you also gotta look and go, man, Texas has nothing, Texas still has LSU on their schedule. They they have they have some, you know, some games still left. so this should be a guinea for them. It needs to be. But, you Mason: Mm-hmm. Ted Turner: know, Mississippi and Levy would do would, you know, like to do nothing more than go into into Texas and and win this game. but who do you got in this game? Mason: I think if Sarkeesian doesn't have AI call his fourth down plays like he did against Florida, they'll win this game for hands down. But I wouldn't put past Texas looking past this team 'cause they look past every team that's not ranked on their schedule. I'll still give it to Texas, but I wouldn't be surprised if Mississippi State makes it dirty. Ted Turner: Dirty, the dirty Mississippi, right? It's crazy, man. I don't know. Mason: Dirty Mississippi, the dirty dogs. Ted Turner: I just, I'm gonna be honest. If you're Texas, this has to be a statement. Mississippi State could not move the ball last week, right? And if you have a defense that says you're as dominating as you are, Arch Manning can't go out there and throw three interceptions against this defense. well, they can't turn the ball over three times against us. I just love how Arch Manning was like, I was, I was. just heard everything about him. It was like I'm I'm super pumped, man. I'm playing with a chip on my shoulder. Easy, buddy, because you're playing with a chip on your shoulder, but you still had three turnovers and you Mason: Mm-hmm. Ted Turner: let old miss this, I mean, Texas is probably the best first quarter, first half team in college football. I can't say they're one the best teams in college football. Roster and first and second quarter, you can mix those two together and play the third and fourth. They're probably national championship competitive, but they haven't been able to do that. And that's what's that's what's really hurt But I agree with you, man. I'm not gonna make my pick, but I just think Mason: Yeah. I just don't know. Ted Turner: that it's been hard for Mississippi State to do anything. So this will be embarrassing if they can actually pull something off against Texas. and obviously the world's largest outdoor cocktail party I will not pick tonight. I'll be picking tomorrow night. But Mason, give me your thoughts and give me your score. Who wins? Mason: I think it's it's not the nineties anymore. And Urban Meyer and Tebow are gone. And we've lost nine of these games last ten years. But that's all in the past and the past doesn't dictate the team right now. In fact it's a very different team. I'm gonna go twenty seven twenty four Florida for this game. I think it's gonna be fun. I think it's gonna be one that we remember, especially now that it's in Atlanta. But I think if we just can stay to our game, keep the keep the offense in front of us on our defensive side, run the ball, just make smart decisions, take in what the defense gives us on the offensive side, and just clean up the special teams issues, which I did not mention and I should have. if we just, don't give up a touchdown punt return against Georgia, I'd be happy. Ted Turner: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mason: But I think it's 27-24. It's gritty. Summerall gets his key win that Billy never could. And we see some roll stay there the next ten, twenty years. Ted Turner: Wild. It's crazy, man. This guy just, you hear Mason: Well take. Ted Turner: this. Listen, I I love the the thing that I kind of chuckle about is because listen, not only if Kirby Smart, if Kirby Smart loses back to back games and it happens to be Auburn, Florida, that's going to be hard enough. Now, what will drive me to listening to the game from a radio and not watching Mason: Mm. Ted Turner: anymore is if we get beat. twice back to back and then we get beat by the same score, which you just predicted. Twenty-seven twenty-four. What's all now that will drive me to be like, all right, so I just need to start listening to the freaking radio. Mason: Yeah. Ted Turner: I mean, when it comes on because I don't need to be there and I don't need to be watching it on TV. So but man, I like it. I like the pick, man. Really good conversation. I think our listeners, yeah, man. Mason: I think we kept it civil enough. Ted Turner: I think it's I mean, here's the thing. At the end of the day, it's going to be a really good game. You hope that. for the fans. Mason: Mm-hmm. Ted Turner: and the SEC, I will tell you, has not it has not fought off the drama. So I think there will be drama. let's just hope there's not too much of it in this game. We'll Mason: Mm-hmm. Ted Turner: maybe we'll save it for I don't know, Mississippi State of Texas. Who knows? But any final thoughts, Mason, before we head out for tonight? Mason: thanks for having me. This was fun. This is my first time doing this, representing Gator Nation, which I've never done before. I hope I can do it again next year and maybe we do this live at a tailgate right before the game kicks off here in Tampa. Ted Turner: That would be that would be very interesting, man. That'd be great. Well, that once again, Florida fans would have to, I mean, sorry, Georgia fans would have to travel like, I don't know, five hours where you guys are traveling like two. It's just funny, man, how Georgia fans always That's true. Mason: Thank goodness it's only thirty minutes for you, man. Ted Turner: That's true. That's true. All right, man, we're gonna head out. Last, last but not least, once again, if you haven't done so, please go and follow us for Dogs Down South. We're on YouTube, as well as our Facebook pages, Spotify Dogs Down South. And then 24 hours later, we're on Apple Podcast. You can catch us on your ride into work or your ride home from work. Maybe this will tick you off because you're hearing all the Florida stuff, or maybe it'll make you happy because you're hearing all the Georgia stuff and feeling like feeling good going into the weekend. make sure you join us tomorrow night. We'll have our normal weekly show. We'll be with Fish. We'll be with Rich. We'll talk all things Georgia football. We'll get into the game. We'll talk about keys to victory with them. We'll make all of our SEC picks. And we'll head into Halloween weekend where if the SEC can be any spookier, I would be very, very I'd be very, very confused if it wasn't. But for myself, for Mason, and for all Dog Nation, you guys have a great night. And as always on Dogs Down South, go dogs.