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Ep. 10: Week 5 picks as EMU heads to sold-out UMass · In The Pocket

• Andrew Graham: Hello and welcome to another episode of In the Pocket, a college football podcast covering all things FBS mitten football related, mm the state of Michigan that is. I'm your host, Andrew Graham, and I'm here once more on a sleepy Friday morning with Connor Yergood. Connor, how you doing? Connor Earegood: What's going on? I was gonna try to make like a really up tempo, like yeah, you know, impression, but then you mention how sleepy it Andrew Graham: No, it's not no we're not doing that today. Connor Earegood: is and it's it's it's pretty accurate. Week five. Andrew Graham: It's finally it it's October, it finally feels like fall. It rained all night. It's kinda that like damp slow October morning kind of vibe. Connor Earegood: Yeah. Andrew Graham: it's Friday morning and we're doing this schedule got a little bonked this week 'cause of several reasons and Connor Earegood: For for our arthritic listeners, I apologize for this weather. This is hell. Andrew Graham: Yeah, my so my dad this is a quick digression. My dad years and years ago broke his tibia and phibia, I believe, in his right leg. And he's he still gets the like when it gets really cold, he can like feel it. Like that is such a like can you tell when it's gonna thunderstorm? But I do feel kinda bad for him when it gets really cold. so quick little show today 'cause it's Friday morning and we kinda got off the wagon. we'll just go through this Some key points off the slate and then get into picks and get ourselves on out of here. so it's kind of a lighter slate this week in terms of like big brand sort of like games you really want to watch. which in a lot of senses actually means that we're about to get potentially a weekend where we're like, wow, that was a crazy result. And I can't believe that game went that way. Like the quiet ones always sneak up on you. so we got just to go through it quick. Michigan at Minnesota, MSU at Wisconsin, Western Michigan at Buffalo, those all kick off in within an hour of each other. It's noon, twelve thirty one. And then Eastern Michigan at UMass and Central Michigan hosts Akron at three thirty. So early afternoon, three thirty slate. Conference games, meaningful football, but not anything where you're like, Wow, I can't believe we get to watch that game. No. Not the and the closest Connor Earegood: Yeah. None of these guys are ranked. Andrew Graham: one is UMass as it's just as close as Michigan. so yeah, like Wisconsin could probably be ranked if they look good for a couple more weeks, but yeah, you are you are correct. and they beat Penn State. Like Connor Earegood: Yeah. will they? Will they? Andrew Graham: if you're if you're undefeated or not undefeated, but if your only loss is Notre Dame and you are like Connor Earegood: But will they? Andrew Graham: I dunno, that's the fair question. I'll say it, if they keep winning Connor Earegood: That's what I'm saying. I there's a path. Everyone's got a path. I said Michigan State was gonna be five and one. Andrew Graham: that was sorely mistaken, Connor. Connor Earegood: I did not expect everybody to get injured, but we'll get into that later. Andrew Graham: That's also that's I also don't think Pat Fitzgerald did either. I will s start quick, we'll just s sort of go in chronological order for what we're gonna talk about here. can Michigan it's kinda like my question is like Michigan's a better team than Minnesota if they play well. If they play well is the really big question of like, can this Michigan team just go on the road and not step on a rake against a team it should be able to beat? Like Minnesota's got a pretty good offense. Drake Lindsay's pretty good, they're physical, they're disciplined, like everything you'd expect out of a PJ Fleck Minnesota team. But like you do have better players. You can do more things with your team. Your defense is better than their defense. Like you should be able to go and win this game by like 10 points if you're Michigan. Can you actually just go do that is my question. And the answer is unclear, which is not great. Connor Earegood: Yeah, PJ Fleck always plays you tight too. Like even his bad teams, Andrew Graham: Yeah. yeah. Connor Earegood: like always are gonna, you know, punch. Like the only team I saw Andrew Graham: Okay. Connor Earegood: getting out was the twenty three team that kinda beat the crap out of him and then afterward he's in his press comments going, That was the greatest team I've ever seen And it's like and Andrew Graham: Like, that's the best team I've ever Yeah. Connor Earegood: he's like just immediately he's like, Yeah, we got shelled like but with him like Andrew Graham: Yeah. Well well then you look at what was it, twenty four that Minnesota like arguably should have won in Michigan Stadium on that onside that was a bad call or whatever. So yeah, they've they've given Michigan Connor Earegood: should have won and it was a Yeah. Like Andrew Graham: games. Connor Earegood: they've given him fits and it's a a rivalry game that Whittingham definitely does not understand. And I think I I wrote this in my preview, like the make fun of the Bloodgate all you will, with PJ Flack wiping his own players' blood like work paint on his face. Which is a little racist, but also just a little gross. A lot of gross. Andrew Graham: I'll give him I'll give him credit for playing it forward into to shilling for the blood drive. I'll get like that was clever. I'll give him credit for that. Connor Earegood: That was c that was clever. And that's like a that's your how you're a Minnesota head coach, 'cause I bet they loved that out there. But Andrew Graham: yeah. Connor Earegood: like Fitzgerald p made a joke on his radio show for MSU. He's like, I'll give blood, but I'm not touching it. Like it that's gross. That's the most disgusting thing I've ever seen. But the thing is, it's more emotion than I think we've seen from Winningham in the Andrew Graham: yeah. Connor Earegood: whole season. And I know he's a a tempered kind of guy, but that is a ta like a a tangible effect on players. so I wonder Andrew Graham: Mm-hmm. Connor Earegood: in a rivalry a game like this if Fleck has got his guys wired to to sort of be on command here and you know, give him a little extra juice, 'cause when you're at home and you got some good things going for you and maybe you get an early stop or a pick or you know, take a lead or something like that, put Michigan some pressure on him. I don't think they've proven they can overcome it. Andrew Graham: Yeah, and this is for for what it's worth, there is some history on Michigan's side 'cause I don't know it off the top of my head, but they have not they don't lose often in the Twin Cities, which is kind of surprising. Because Minnesota's actually had some decent teams over the years. but for whatever reason, Michigan just manages to win like the the the most the game then that stands out to me as like the most Michigan should have lost but somehow won is that twenty fifteen game at Minnesota on Halloween. Where they had that like goal line stand at the end on the one to win. I was like, they played terrible Connor Earegood: yeah. I remember that one. Andrew Graham: in that game where they still won. so like I was ins yeah, no. Connor Earegood: There were like three games that season that they l kinda lucked. Like Indiana, that game. And then Trouble with the Snap bit you know, kinda got Andrew Graham: Yeah, true. Yeah, th like Connor Earegood: it spiritually even. But Andrew Graham: funnily enough, like the twenty fifteen Michigan team is like a really good example of what like this team kind of should have aspired to. That it of just like play good football, like play better than the sum of our parts, whatever they are, with a new coach and like good things will happen. And they're just kinda not doing that, which is frustrating. but I will say my final take on this rivalry is a really good example of the things people will do to avoid small claims court. Like I'm not gonna sue you for that jug. We're going to play a football game. It's way better. It's way better. It's w Exactly. Yeah, like you know we we don't we don't Connor Earegood: For that chuck. We'll play a sixty minutes of hard nosed football and sell a lot of tickets. A lot of tickets. Andrew Graham: need to serve anyone process here. Let's just play a football game. Connor Earegood: Arguably Arguably the real rivalry for Mich Michigan and Minnesota is in Man's hockey. Arguably. I've seen Andrew Graham: like I'm like Connor Earegood: him throw trash in the ice in that barn when Michigan took a lead. Like it's it's bitter. It's really Andrew Graham: well, 'cause it's like cr i legitimately no offense to to Minnesota's football program, which is like historically fairly successful and like they're good at football and they care about it. Minnesota is not credibly a like we should win a national championship football program every year. Connor Earegood: Yeah. Andrew Graham: Like Minnesota hockey and Michigan hockey is Georgia, Alabama. Like it's like that's a way to think of it. Yeah. So yeah, no. I'm with ya. Connor Earegood: yeah. And and they treat it like it too. It's it's i then again Minnesota has a rivalry with everybody in the Big Ten, but we'll we'll get into that when we have i in the slot instead of in the pocket, our hockey podcast. Soft launch, no at the dot. Yeah. Speaking of g Andrew Graham: I was gonna say mi i in the circle or in the circle or in the crease. Yeah, we'll we'll figure it out. Yeah, there we go. What was what was the we did we had to do one of these for lacrosse at Syracuse one time. We called it like at the X or something and no one knew what the hell it meant. Like we were making it and we barely knew what it meant. So sorry to cut you off. Connor Earegood: Hey That's awesome. No no no we're good. I was gonna say speaking of hockey schools, Michigan State looking at hockey season and basketball season, but game at Wisconsin. I've already seen viewership plummet. People do not care. It's really weird and sad because Andrew Graham: Yeah, there was there was the whole Twitter fans students not showing up, whatever thing, which Connor Earegood: People that was stupid discourse because why would they? And like plenty of people left that Andrew Graham: Correct. Connor Earegood: game. And also like your whole point in college is to go to the game and then get hammered at the bar. I would not stay around to watch that game. The whole Andrew Graham: Or just do what you want to do with your friends on Saturday. Connor Earegood: defense, the whole defense is hurt. I don't wanna watch, Andrew Graham: Yeah no. Connor Earegood: you know, if I'm a student and I'm, you know, getting lit and I got a a long Sunday of homework ahead of me and I this is my day to enjoy, I don't want to watch Damari Malone and Adam Shaw play both linebacker positions. Dudes I don't know, and they're gonna be good football. Andrew Graham: god. Yeah. Connor Earegood: Players and Adam Shaw, like I think is gonna be a stud for them. He they like him, he's smart as hell and a legacy. Andrew Graham: No, they like But they're also eighteen and nineteen. Connor Earegood: He's a a thin thin guy. But Jordan Hall is is doubtful. They won't officially rule him out, but he's doubtful to play this weekend. Pretzeloff could be back, and Stodge Hill is is banged up and Crawford is too. I would probably expect them to play. But then Michigan State's on a third string. Andrew Graham: You are playing linebacker, Connor. Connor Earegood: Dude, maybe. I might have to play corner, which we might be in trouble there. but but no I Andrew Graham: How's the hi how's the hip how's the hip fluidity? Connor Earegood: It's better than it was in college, but it's still not where it needs to be. But Andrew Graham: Ha ha. Connor Earegood: they're down to like a third string corner in in Andrew Brinson, who Andrew Graham: Yeah. Connor Earegood: had some some humblings a against against Nebraska, Andrew Graham: As you'd expect, the Connor Earegood: as you would expect for a guy that did not play all of last year 'cause he was hurt. but he actually he looked serviceable and solid and he looked like he'd taken a step from when he played Andrew Graham: They're gonna have Connor Earegood: as a freshman. Andrew Graham: they're gonna have to throw guys out there and see Connor Earegood: yeah. Andrew Graham: which of them can kind of like it's kinda gotta be a sink or swim weekend for the MSU defense in Connor Earegood: Yeah. Andrew Graham: the sense of like individually, where there's just gonna have to be some guys where it's like let's see if he can like w i see if he can respond and do it. because that's just where they're at health wise, which is not a place you wanna be. Connor Earegood: Yeah, but I the staff sees that as a positive though, which I was interested in. And like Yeah. Andrew Graham: if l long term I think it is. But like for this season it bites. Like it's not it's Connor Earegood: Buckle up. Yeah. Andrew Graham: not it's not gonna be enjoyable Saturday or future Saturdays. But like I I would agree with that sense of it what you do now is what it is, but how like bad it is in the grand scheme of things will really be measured by can you parlay it into better seasons in twenty twenty seven, twenty twenty eight, so on, so forth. and 'cause I think that was the interesting thing to me of just to briefly hit on the like people aren't going, the students aren't showing up, that kind of stuff. Of someone tried to use an example of like the three and nine season and what was that, seventeen, something like that, where like they still packed it out for Sohio State, whatever. It's like, well, the pri look at the prior five seasons of MSU football leading up to that. Connor Earegood: Yeah. Andrew Graham: where like they'd bet like the previous year was the Cotton Bowl season. they'd done the Rose Bowl, they'd won the Big Ten. Like this had been a team that had been one Connor Earegood: C F Andrew Graham: yeah, this is d they had credibly been one of the twenty best programs in college football for the prior five years. and so Connor Earegood: Yeah. And it's Ohio State too. Andrew Graham: correct. and so they got incredibly a lot of fan interest and like I think y you you just see like what you're watching is There's less capital that like this staff has than Mark D'Antonio did at his peak, which makes complete sense. That Fitzgerald has Connor Earegood: It's Yeah. Andrew Graham: coached four games at Michigan State. And so, yes, people should be energized and support him, but I don't think that has to mean going and watching a bad football team at this point. Like you can support them in Connor Earegood: Bad hoops. Yeah. There's only so much you can Andrew Graham: other ways that will help them be good in the future. And frankly, if they can turn around and go, you know, we we didn't deserve full stadiums, let's do it this year or something, like they'll turn it into something that I'm sure motivates the guys and like I don't know, like I get the demoralization sort of nature of it for fans. I don't think that's maybe an issue for the team, so to speak, even though like they're probably not gonna be having a lot of fun this weekend. Connor Earegood: Yeah, as long as you bought money on the tickets, which Wisconsin looks good and that is probably gonna be a packed house, given that they're three and one. Upset win Andrew Graham: Yeah. yeah. Connor Earegood: over Penn State. Like that defense looks physical. I know the stats aren't all there and like I I don't know how Andrew Graham: It looks like Wisconsin Connor Earegood: It Andrew Graham: though. Connor Earegood: it looks like a Wisconsin defense. It looks like a bunch of dudes from the North Country that are just Andrew Graham: Big physical beat ya up. Yep. Connor Earegood: gonna haul ya. Like and that's that's what they need and they got a quarterback that'll take off and run hard. Not just run into like the Calandria scramble space like they ran into Nebraska. He gonna run through ya. He will run through ya. So a and that's gonna be a tough tough goal for Andrew Graham: No, he no Col Joseph's got something to him. He's got something to him. Yeah. Yeah. So I yeah, I I'm with ya. Connor Earegood: them. Andrew Graham: They're a little banged up at running back, but I just don't think that's gonna be a big deal for Connor Earegood: No. Andrew Graham: Wisconsin given the the rash of injuries on the other side. EMU UMass, should we get there? So Connor Earegood: Let's I was about to say, let's talk about a title stakes game. Andrew Graham: as of this morning per Pete Thamble, I believe, it's sold out. Which has not happened at UMass since twenty fourteen, which is I believe when they were still an FCS team. and a very good like this but it's it's important to remember for as utter dog shit as UMass has been for most of its FBS existence, it was one of the best FCS programs when it's left. That's like how it credibly moved up. so this this is a place that understands what football success looks like, for lack of a better way to frame it. so like You give them a winner, like they'll show up. Like Connor Earegood: You have a QV like Pop Watson. Andrew Graham: god. Well, okay. So Pop Watson's very fun, and he's very good, and he like it's very dangerous because of just like his out of structure playmaking ability and like sort of the bleafy lens of the team. The real reason UMass is good is their defense is good. Their defense is very good. I I like I'm just gonna run the stats here. They're number two in turnover margin plus ten. With I think five interceptions and five fumbles recovered, or or six they have eleven takeaways. So they've given they've had an interception thrown. Six interceptions, five fumbles. They're number twenty-four in sacks with eleven, and that's all like that's kind of spread out. I don't think they have anyone with more than two. They have their number fifteenth in scoring defense, giving up twelve point eight points per game, and they're number fourteen in opponent third down conversions at twenty seven in a bit percent. So it's just like they're good on defense. Now, they've played Heinously bad Rutgers, two Connor Earegood: Yeah. Andrew Graham: lower level Sisters of Charity, and then and then Sack State, who is it's Sack State's bad. Connor Earegood: S Sacred Heart in Stonehill. At on the road, to give him credit, on the road. Andrew Graham: Sack State's really bad. I'm not like everyone Connor Earegood: Yeah. Andrew Graham: in the Mac should beat Sack State, and I will look poorly upon them if they do not, is kind of the stance I'm I'm getting to. Like I I think Sack State has the ability to be Connor Earegood: Yeah. So it's it's a puppy dog schedule. Andrew Graham: good, but yes. Like Eastern Michigan legitimately might be the best team that UMass has played so far. Especially on defense, Connor Earegood: Probably. Andrew Graham: I think. 'cause Eastern's actually pretty solid on defense and they they like lead or not lead, but they like are doing well in a few key c a few key statistical areas. they're like top ten in the country in passes defensed. they're getting off the field on third down. They're not creating takeaways quite at the rate they'd like, but they're also protecting the ball pretty well on offense, so it's not like heinous. but I just think like If if Eastern can throw together a plan that helps you keep Pop Watson from killing you with his legs and forces him to like try and do something with his arm, I think Eastern's actually got a really good shot. And then just can your offense get some ahead of schedule stuff, put UMass's defense on the back foot, like I think 'cause I think that's Connor Earegood: Yeah. Andrew Graham: the other thing. It's like UMass's defense, I don't know that they've actually played from behind this season. I I I actually would have to go check that 'cause I think they led Ruckers like they were up like Connor Earegood: I think so. Andrew Graham: twenty one three pretty fast on Ruckers. and so I'm just like I I think Eastern Michigan actually quietly has a chance to come and like heap a lot of pressure on a UMass team that hasn't had it yet in front of a really big Connor Earegood: Mm. Andrew Graham: crowd and that can flip on you quick. if you're playing like Dookie in front of a packed crowd of your own fans. Connor Earegood: Yeah. You know who else has got a win in Mac play? I just saw? Kent State. My dynasty team in every college football video game. Andrew Graham: Who are they ball they're playing ball state, right? Connor Earegood: I have no clue. I'm I'm bad at keeping up with it. They just played Ball State. They play Ohio and a a at home, at home. Andrew Graham: I'm pretty sure they're playing Ball State and what's gonna be cur that's right. That was that we could that's right. That's right. 'Cause Kent State Kent State Ball State was incredibly maybe the worst FBS on FBS game that the past weekend. Ball Connor Earegood: Yeah. Dookie versus Dookie. Andrew Graham: State's not good. they they're just not. Connor Earegood: Yeah. Ball sack. Andrew Graham: That game's coming up. It's a couple of weeks, like October it's like October twenty fourth, I think. Connor Earegood: That game's gonna be on the schedule. Like U Andrew Graham: Yeah. Connor Earegood: EMU UMass, that campus is gorgeous. It's close to Bristol, Connecticut. Like Andrew Graham: The football stadium is not. Connor Earegood: I it is what it is. They're not gonna be in the city, they're be outside. Like, I I don't know. I think it would be dope for them to go and it's a really easy trip for them. And this is a good week to do it, but you know. Andrew Graham: I don't blame them for being at Iowa for the first time in like twenty years though. This one I have less of like Yeah, like like it Connor Earegood: That is true too. Especially for Ohio State. We're picking that one, right? Okay. If not, Andrew Graham: think so, yeah. I don't know, I'd have to Connor Earegood: we're adding it. Andrew Graham: No, it's yeah, it's on there. I try to get like Connor Earegood: Okay. Andrew Graham: big games and then like one sort of offbeat one, which you'll see. Connor Earegood: Yeah. Andrew Graham: but yeah, like it incredibly could have been one this one I'm less like, you know, they should have gone like 'cause it would have been more solely like, hey, holy crap, UMass. but there's just not like a ton actually outwardly compelling about this to me quite like Western Boise and like I think the counter of Ohio State Visiting Iowa. that compels me more than just like here's a top twenty SEC matchup that Connor Earegood: Yeah. Andrew Graham: is just gonna be kind of a slug fest. And it was, and it wasn't a bad game, but like Tennessee, Texas, that is. so yeah, Connor Earegood: Yeah. Andrew Graham: I don't know. It's it's whatever. It's gonna be a good game though, I think, and that's what matters. And I think like it's it screams out to me that like a Chris Creighton muck it up win like the most hideous, like twenty-one Connor Earegood: Hmm. Andrew Graham: nineteen football game you've ever seen, or something like that, but we'll get there in picks. yeah. And I think they will. I think they will. Connor Earegood: Western gotta get right this week against Buffalo. Poor Buffalo. Poor Buffalo. Like Andrew Graham: Buffalo's bad. Like, they have almost lost to two FCS teams. They're solid on defense, as they are wont to do. They'll they'll do functional on special teams because Pete Lembo is competent at that and like quite good at special teams. Their quarterback play might be the worst in the FPS. It's just bad. They're under fifty percent completions, they're throwing more interceptions than touchdowns. Like you you cannot win against equal or higher level competition with quarterback play that bad. And as Boise not Boise, excuse me, as Buffalo showed. You're gonna struggle to do it against even teams that you're better than. and so I just think like it it presents a nice opportunity for if Western's defense comes and just plays the way they sh like can and didn't against Boise State. Yeah, they might not like dominate them, but like get a couple takeaways, force stops, get the ball to your offense, grind out the game, win by a couple scores, feel a lot better about yourself than you did a week Connor Earegood: Yeah. Andrew Graham: ago, I think is kind of the in a nutshell for Western Michigan this week. Connor Earegood: Is Micah Davis healthy for Western? Andrew Graham: he he's not I don't think he's like gonna be like fully healthy, especially when he comes back. So the the what this is me wh what I can derive from what I've observed and asked about is I think he broke his thumb from the look of it. Because the way his hand Connor Earegood: Mm. Andrew Graham: was wrapped up was he had this sort of soft wrap down like the hand and wrist, and then it was all wrapped around the thumb, like specifically. Connor Earegood: A mobilizer. Andrew Graham: Yeah. and so it could be kind of thumb like the metatarsal or I can't I know I is that hand or foot? I I don't tr don't take my anatomy as gospel. Metacarpal, that's right. Connor Earegood: Metacarpal. Metacarpal hand. Yeah. Andrew Graham: so it's like he might I think it might have been like that back into his thumb and wrist. but it's one of those Connor Earegood: Oi. So he's still out? Andrew Graham: Yeah, I'm guessing he will not play this week. but it sounds like they're looking to get him back and he either got back to practice this week or it will be next week. Connor Earegood: Yeah. Andrew Graham: And I think it's kind of one of those things where once it's like Whatever they'd had to do to it, be it shots, minor surgery, whatever, let it heal, swelling goes down, it's like healed up where you're not gonna hurt it anymore. Connor Earegood: You got him for the long run. Andrew Graham: Yeah, and then like I he'll be probably playing like I'm guessing he'll be clubbed up when we see him come back and so, you know, like rip to the interception totals, but I Connor Earegood: Yeah, never you can still get one. Andrew Graham: i I think he can and I I just think it's you would rather not do something stupid with him where you lose him for some extended period of time. Connor Earegood: Sure. W when you're chasing Andrew Graham: Where you Connor Earegood: something bigger than a win o a Buffalo. Yeah. Which they're probably gonna get. Andrew Graham: Correct. and so I would be I would be surprised if he plays this weekend, but I would guess that he's closer to being back in the next two ish weeks than you would otherwise think for someone who broke their thumb. Like I think this Connor Earegood: What which is Andrew Graham: is this is a football guy, be tough, play through it kind of thing, 'cause he can't. Connor Earegood: Yeah. Which is the inverse of Central who's literally like their season is the next four weeks. Like this Andrew Graham: Pretty much. Connor Earegood: is their their toughest, this is their go, this is where they determine if their f fish are food. And like probably fish is weak, but yeah. Andrew Graham: It's it's like a wild stretch. well yeah, 'cause they basically so they get Akron this week, which yes, Akron's not like a Mac contender, like Akron is a team that beat them last year. Well, Connor Earegood: To they spend money. Like Andrew Graham: and whatever you think of Akron, Joe Moorhead is a good offensive football coach. And it you could find you will you will not find a college football coach in the country, I think, who would disagree with me on that. like Dude knows what he is doing when it comes to just dialing up offense. and so that's gonna be a challenge. And then after that, if you're central, you go see if I can do this off the top of my head and if I get the right order. It's at Ohio, and then you get Western Michigan at home, and then you Miami, Ohio at home. So Ohio, I'm a little like still just like, hey, what are you with your third coach in three years and and whatever? It looks like they're bad on offense and good on defense. which is not a stunner. Yes. Connor Earegood: Which can be a problem for Central. Yeah. Andrew Graham: and so that game, like, can you go on the road and like win that is still a fair question. And then you get the two teams that played in the Mac title game last year and along with Toledo credibly look like the you know, reasonable favorites to win it again. Connor Earegood: Yeah. But then you rounded out with Eastern, Sack State, Buffalo and Ball State. So you should go four and in those. November's easy for Andrew Graham: Yeah, November gets nice. You you get Connor Earegood: you. So if you just handle business here, if you win two out of four, you're in potentially titled conversation. You could make it to the game. Andrew Graham: Yeah, if you it 'cause if you go two and if you go two and two and then it kinda like your your title hopes out of two and two would hinge greatly on which two it is. Cause Connor Earegood: Sure. Andrew Graham: like ironically enough, going and two and then beating Western Miami would probably be the better pathway to like helping your Mac title like obviously going four and Connor Earegood: Yeah. Andrew Graham: is the best thing to do. Like that, of course. Connor Earegood: But if your money well in it. Andrew Graham: But yeah, like if you're gonna go two and two through this stretch It's probably actually best to win the Western and Miami games and lose the acronym Ohio Connor Earegood: Sure. Andrew Graham: games. Matt Drinkle, please don't hurt me if you hear this. I'm not saying your team should lose. but yeah, it's so it's kind of an interesting thing. And then like I think their buy is at actually a really nice spot, both in terms of like in the season and like out of like you you come out of that, you get Halloween off. Yeah. Connor Earegood: The Halloween by. It's awesome. MSU has it too. Andrew Graham: so you get Halloween off, which one is probably kind of fun for the players to like actually have a weekend that's like a fun weekend around town to like have off. correct. Or like Connor Earegood: It's not like November thirteenth, like Andrew Graham: a like a Mac and by where it's just like some random week where you just don't have a game when everyone's playing on Wednesday. Connor Earegood: Yeah. Andrew Graham: and i I do think it kind of lets you like get some R and R that like you're gonna get beat up through that stretch a little bit too like Western Miami are good big physical teams. And with that, I think that's like a nice chance to like rest up, recharge, go to Ford Field, get a win. keep moving, get to bowl eligibility for a second straight year to start Matt Drinkle's tenure and like that's success. Like w whatever one wants to frame it as, they they might fail competing in the Mac. Who knows? But you make a bowl your first two years at a Mac school, you are succeeding. Period. Like like yeah there's just no two ways about it. You are succeeding. there Connor Earegood: Pretty good. Pretty good. And not one that's spending a ton of money. Like it's not you don't have striker money, you know? Andrew Graham: So I I I don't know the like and this is like kind of one of my Connor Earegood: The numbers. Andrew Graham: big my bigger off season projects is to try and flesh these numbers out as I can. But my basic understanding is like none of the Michigan Mac schools have revenue to share, to be very blunt about it. Like so it's like they might find new way to cut revenue sharing checks and just like it goes back it gets folded into the loss that they report and gets squared out in like the ju general accounting of the university, as it happens for most schools. but like The general gist is like whereas like MSU and Michigan have like excess from the Big Ten check to like throw around after they've covered their costes costs. It's not a similar deal for the Mac TV distributions and like the revenue they're making. So pretty much any of the money, especially at like Central right now, that players are making is almost entirely through like NIL, and a lot of that's like real NIL. Connor Earegood: Yeah. Andrew Graham: guys will go to a car dealership ad or like go sign trading cards or or they like merch or whatever it is. Connor Earegood: You want your AC to be the coldest. Andrew Graham: Yeah, no, but like but like there's also something kind of beautifully Norman Rockwell about like it's actually just like the central Michigan quarterback will just like having a merch sign or you pick like whatever it was. Like I Joe Connor Earegood: Yeah. It's kinda hey, it's kinda how it's supposed to friggin' work. This is what it's meant to be. Which is what the Mac always has been. If you like football, Andrew Graham: is what it was how it was sold at least. Yeah. And I mean Well and if they and like Connor Earegood: the Mac is your favorite conference. Like let's just put it that way. Andrew Graham: Well and as Central will like I I think we're seeing, especially this season, and this is something I talked with Matt Drinkle about, is like one of the the the things he's kinda quietly been doing is a lot of behind the scenes cajoling force of willing, like almost a little bit James Franklin at Penn State, but like less ego involved of just like he's looking at I need every possible part of this university that could and might want to support me to do that. And like I want to support them back in return. Like that's a two way street. But basically like they're now you can go buy they're selling like game used old jerseys at the bookstore now. And I would have to assume some cut of that revenue goes back to the football program. Like 'cause it's theirs their property. and Connor Earegood: As long as there's not an experience room. Andrew Graham: God. that that will not happen. I The the it it will be the the call the nineteen seventy four Connor Earegood: This is the coach's desk. Andrew Graham: it will be called the nineteen seventy four D two title game as you're Herb Geromedy if anything. It will be very, very, very on the ball narrow. and then th they're they're selling a branded beer now with Midland Brewing Co. Like they're they're they're turning the wheels, admittedly, like five years after everyone else, but that's a little bit you know, a max school being behind. Well, and Connor Earegood: You gotta do it at some point. Like Andrew Graham: it's I think it was like there was just institutional inertia to some extent, not of just like we don't need to do NIL, but it's just like is that a thing that's gonna come here is probably more of the thinking. and it is. It it needs to if you wanna like actually push the envelope of how well you can compete. And I think that's quietly the stuff that we're seeing start to show up with Drinkle of like I know he's pushed for sort of the refurb on Kelly Shorts with all the new like banners and posters and like iconography of Roy Kramer and Herb Connor Earegood: But yeah. Andrew Graham: Dromedy and like all the different great teams at Central Michigan. 'Cause like it is a place with incredible history and has had incredible support in the past. Connor Earegood: Yeah. It's just tucked up in the middle of of a a less populated area. Like how many people Andrew Graham: yeah. Connor Earegood: are going north of of Mount Pleasant? Unless they're going to the UP. Andrew Graham: Well, and the biggest thing that Well and and straight up something that Drinkle wants to try and capitalize on is like what we were talking about with MSU earlier. They're bad and it costs twice as much to go to their games. Come to a Central Michigan game. It'll be a great time for half the cost. Like, Connor Earegood: Yeah. Andrew Graham: that's legit a thing. is it gonna like yi yield you a bunch of seats filled? I don't know. but I think it's very interesting how direct he is about like Anything I can do to get people at these games, anything I can do to get people supporting this program directly or indirectly, I am going to try to do broadly. and I think we're really what we're starting to see now is like the physical and like practical outcomes of that, be it the bookstore selling old jerseys, they have their own branded beer, they're selling at the stadium now. Like he's he, I understand it. has pushed a lot of this stuff forward behind the scenes and I'd expect that to keep going in the next year or so. And there's some complex stuff with like how the university functions because of the like various union contracts and whatever. So like it's it's like board level obnoxiousness that we could do a whole podcast on, but that is a thing. Connor Earegood: Yeah. Off season, off season. Andrew Graham: And Eastern's kind of in a similar boat where it's like they just gotta raise a lot of money as they can find their ways. Connor Earegood: in the Detroit's backyard where it's probably easier. Andrew Graham: in in in Michigan's backyard. Like that's the real problem is Connor Earegood: That too. Andrew Graham: nine out of ten people Scott Weatherby might call for money is someone who the army of people who do development, which is a fancy word for we call you and ask you for money at University of Michigan Connor Earegood: Mm. Andrew Graham: do. So i they they each have their distinct challenges is the sum up there. Is it time to pick games? Yeah. Connor Earegood: S speaking of the evil empire, Michigan at Minnesota. I think we're picking games. Michigan at Minnesota, you first. What do think? Andrew Graham: I'm gonna take Michigan because if there's one thing that might actually get this group to like, crap, we're playing like dummies, it's an actual loss. I think that's to me like when you have a young and immature team, sometimes the lessons do not get learned until you actually touch the hot stove. And Michigan touched the hot stove last week, and so I think at least for this week, they play not a perfect game, but like they get some things under control and they just go out and and kick ass and and move some people on the offensive line. Like the offense look good against Iowa and I think if you can if you can bottle that up, have a good defensive performance and just not do dumb shit, get out of there with a ten point win. Connor Earegood: Give me Minnesota. I don't know. I'll be contrarian. But I I just think Andrew Graham: Completely reasonable. Connor Earegood: that defense is is gonna give him some fits and I I'm not convinced they can't handle like I think th running, and especially underwood running, like as athletic as he is, like I think Minnesota would rather have that than trying to beat him outside. They do Andrew Graham: yeah. Connor Earegood: have a great corner in in Aiden West, who was at Michigan State last year and is Andrew Graham: Former Spartan. Connor Earegood: a is a dog. Like he's a good corner. And like Andrew Graham: Yeah, he'd be He kinda he and Devin Vaught would be so fun together. Connor Earegood: That's and that's like he is sort of the piece Michigan State is missing. Like, could be you know, if they played Minnesota I would write that story, but I'll wait. But like genuinely like is a fantastic corner and is just in like they're rotating a bit in Minnesota 'cause they have depth. And so it's it's gonna be a tough defense to beat. I don't know. When with sand kicked in the face you never know what you're gonna get from Michigan, especially with Whittingham as coach, but I'm gonna pick Minnesota. Andrew Graham: We have disagreement finally. We're we'll stratify. Connor Earegood: First. Off the bat. Yeah. MSU Wiscons at Wisconsin. I'll go first on this one. Wisconsin. Wisconsin. Yeah, I I just yeah. Andrew Graham: Go ahead, yeah. Yep, same thing. Badgers e even if MSU was healthy, I'd probably be on the Badgers. MSU was really not healthy, so yeah, Wisconsin by fourteen. Connor Earegood: Yeah. No Jordan Hall, no win. Like that's that's where Michigan State's defense is at, and it's unfortunate and they need to develop depth. Andrew Graham: Well also no cam no Cam Edwards like no offense? Connor Earegood: Jazzian Patterson's a decent enough he's actually Andrew Graham: That's fair. Connor Earegood: I would argue a better fit for Big Ten play because he's gonna run inside the tackles and pound eight yards. Like he's a Andrew Graham: Fair. Fair. Connor Earegood: lot more of a north south kind of guy, and I don't think that's not an advantage. But losing Cam Edwards is a huge loss to this offense, for sure. west western at Buffalo. Andrew Graham: Western. I just think they Connor Earegood: Western. Andrew Graham: they played a uniquely terrible game, both of their own accord and how they got forced into it by Boise State. And I think they will be better about playing their own game better and Buffalo does not have a ton of ability to force Western Michigan, I don't think, into like a bad game script. So yeah, give me Western. Connor Earegood: Yeah. Buffalo's food. Chicken wings even. Boo. Andrew Graham: so Macy's Place Pizzeria in Buffalo. This is an eternal shout out. I've been trying to get Boz, Western Michigan's SID, to go there. Boz, who I might try and get on the show in the offseason to like explain what SIDs actually do, which would be a great episode if Connor Connor Earegood: Mm. Andrew Graham: Connor knows. But I've been trying to get him to go to Macy's Place Pizzeria in Buffalo. And if anyone listens to this, I promise you look up their Instagram account. They do insane stuff on pizzas. They will make them with like, we put jalapeno poppers and chicken tenders on this pizza or like yeah, it's it's like absolutely disgusting in the best of senses. so I highly recommend Connor Earegood: I like Andrew Graham: Macy Macy's place, Pizzeria in Buffalo. Western can get some some victory meals from there or something. Connor Earegood: Eastern could probably go take a little little trip south to Connecticut, get some New Haven style pizza. Andrew Graham: Or go to the they could go to the COVID conscious Western Mass lesbian bar. Connor Earegood: Yeah, the lesbian bar. I bet they got pizza. Andrew Graham: Or or I don't know that they have food offerings. I don't even want to know what Connor Earegood: Mm. Andrew Graham: pizza pizza is what what woke to transgression pizza is, but Connor Earegood: Cruelty free vegan crust. Andrew Graham: Ugh. Connor Earegood: I need cruelty in my pizza. Quote me. Andrew Graham: Yeah, no cruelty specifically to the the Italian man making it. Connor Earegood: Yeah. Andrew Graham: he should be mistreated. He should be underpaid and overworked. Connor Earegood: You know who's gonna get mistreated? Prob probably probably Eastern's defense. I hate to say it, but it's it I feel like Pop Watson's gonna have another really good game. He's you know, mobile. He's good at the improv drill kind of stuff. And that's where I think Eastern Andrew Graham: he's so good at it. Connor Earegood: when like Michigan State got off script against them a little bit was when Eastern played its worst. And I think that's probably the case here. Yeah. Andrew Graham: Yes. Fourth and nineteen that they couldn't stop on a scramble drill. Connor Earegood: Yeah. Andrew Graham: I'm going with Eastern. I've been kind of circling I mentioned this like last week. I've been kind of circling this pick where I am suspect of a four-no team with all the hype that hasn't played anybody any b any good. And not that Eastern's like a world leader that great, but like I think Eastern's got stuff to it that maybe even Rutgers doesn't have. I think To me, like there are kind of two matchups within the matchup here, and that's can the Eastern's offensive line, which is getting a little healthier and like playing pretty solid. Can you keep taking a step? Can you keep guys off Noah Kim's back get the run game moving forward? And the other one, and this is to the to the Pop Watson of it all, do you know that Eastern Michigan linebacker Zach Mochin is third in the country in total tackles? He is forty three in Connor Earegood: Yeah. That sounds about right. He's everywhere. Andrew Graham: granted he's played an extra game, but Connor Earegood: Well. Andrew Graham: I think that's kinda like can Zack Mochin and like a Bryce Llewellyn, who kind of is a he's a defensive back but he does a lot of in the box stuff like can those two guys combine to be your Pop Watson eraser? And I think they can. And I think i it like I what I trust is this defense to come up with a plan that challenges opponing opposing offenses. They've done that so far and it's been pretty impressive. Like I think even MSU in the first half against Eastern was like challenged by what that defense was doing to them. And so I just give me give me Eastern scraping it out in a I I've I've joked about it being like low score, but it's like actually probably gonna be something more like thirty three thirty or whatever, but Yeah, like like Connor Earegood: semi shootout like yeah. Andrew Graham: maybe a little lower scoring in the first half and then they both start chucking it. so yeah. Give me Eastern though. I like I like the Eagles in this one. Connor Earegood: I like it. Central acronym gimme s gimme central. Andrew Graham: Yeah, I'm gonna take Central. I think one, they're not gonna like come out and just play abjectly terrible like they did against Akron last year, because one, they like have that, like, hey, we're not gonna do that again against this team. We want some revenge. And they just seem to have like no team has maybe figured itself out more in four weeks than Central Michigan has from like the opener to now. Where I think they have a much better grasp now on who is good at what, who they trust to do what, who Who they like doing what and how often they can get to it. and I just think they've got a recipe, they can play to it, they'll be able to win at the line of scrimmage on offense, rush the ball. Angel Floors is pretty fresh after he basically didn't carry the ball against Miami because they were like, we're not getting you hurt in this game. Connor Earegood: It's not worth it. Andrew Graham: no, yeah, it was like the hits are not worth like we know you're good at this. Just you're not running tonight. Connor Earegood: Yeah. Andrew Graham: so I think he he'll be fresh, he'll be feeling good and just yeah, gimme central and like a the I I've joked, this game will have the two most beautifully designed run games in all of college football and and seventeen thirteen. Just what's gonna happen. Connor Earegood: Alabama Mississippi State will not be like that. But gimme Camario Andrew Graham: No! It will be Did you see Connor Earegood: Taylor. Andrew Graham: Did you see the meme where it's like Camario Taylor when he sees an open receiver downfield and it's a guy's stand firing like a bear at fifty cow like six rounds out of the thing in like a matter of seconds? It's like it's awesome. I don't know if Connor Earegood: He he can sling it. And it's like Mississippi State, like, Starkville has not had a lot of outside of baseball, has not had a lot of of success. Like, football Andrew Graham: This Connor Earegood: has been perpetually in the basement of the SEC. Like this is just fun to see them have. Andrew Graham: For a decade basically. Yeah. Connor Earegood: Like State of Mississippi, Andrew Graham: yeah. Connor Earegood: kind of Belton SEC teams lately, Andrew Graham: yeah. Connor Earegood: like Andrew Graham: Well and so here's here's a fun bit of trivia for you. Do you know who was number one in the very inaugural like college football playoff rankings in like October twenty fourteen? Connor Earegood: guessing it's Mississippi State because we're bringing it up here. Andrew Graham: Mississippi State and Dak Prescott and Ole Miss was also in the top four. It was like a wild year in Mississippi football in 2014. but yeah, I'm gonna go with Mississippi State. Connor Earegood: Yeah. Hell of an egg ball. Andrew Graham: I'm gonna go with Mississippi State here at home. I just love the vibes, and I'll give a I'll I'll leave it on this comparison. Comario Taylor's playstyle reminds me of Kyler Murray. But if Kyler Murray was six three, two fifteen, like it's Connor Earegood: And good. Andrew Graham: Like he does well, Kyler's not bad, but it's like the runaround, the ability to throw it off platform with a flick of the wrist forty yards with this beautiful like th th there is one other quarterback that I have witnessed with the kind of combination of abilities of Camario Taylor, but that guy is in the NFL and he's five eleven and Camario Taylor's not. So I'm just I like the the dude's awesome. I'm like you're gonna have to probably fight me to pick against him, generally. Buckeyes Huckeyes, as Brent Musberger would Connor Earegood: Yeah, sorry, I lost my tab here. Andrew Graham: like to say. I'll let you go first on this one. Connor Earegood: I'm taking Iowa. Just for the vibes. I like I would love to see Iowa just continue to roll because it's so fun Andrew Graham: yeah. Connor Earegood: for for Kirk Ferrand, especially with vacated wins. Off some dumb stuff. That Andrew Graham: Yeah. Connor Earegood: somehow made him now not the Big Ten's leader in wins and he's gotta c clo climb his way back. Like who gives a crap? But it is like really funny. Andrew Graham: Yeah, 'cause 'cause those teams didn't play those games and win all of a sudden. Connor Earegood: Yeah. Well and like and also like Woody Hayes was so friggin' clean, like, come on. Come on, the Buckeye rule Yeah. Like let's just Andrew Graham: Correct. Yeah. Beauchem Beckler, paragon of decency. yeah. Connor Earegood: investigate everyone that you know, picks up an Ohio kid and let's just nuke their program. Because Andrew Graham: Correct. Connor Earegood: we actually invented the sport and screw you guys. Shout out Duffy Doherty, goat coach. Andrew Graham: but I'm gonna go Ohio State here. I I just think one of the quietly good things that Ryan Day's done at Ohio State is like sort of NFL if I or pro stylify a lot of how they kind of play that makes them less susceptible to the like urban mire we go on the road and lay an egg kind of game where they they like they That's what Ur Urban Meyers teams would just do that. They would go and beat you most of the time sixty-five to ten and you had no shot. But then every once in a while they would let you beat them forty-two to twenty-seven, and it's like, what the hell just happened? Iowa famously doing that one time in that fifty-five whatever game. but I just think this Ohio State team has the the gear to like slow down its heartbeat, play almost boring offense and not Do shit that lets Iowa win this game. Cause I look at Phil Parker should like Pete Thamble made this point on the ESPN Game Day podcast. And like it was I thought it was good point of Phil Parker, Iowa's DC should like a Hall of Fame consideration as a coordinator. But like Connor Earegood: Yeah. Andrew Graham: that ain't gonna help you against Jeremiah Smith. It's not gonna help you when you gotta guard Steph. Connor Earegood: Jeremiah Smith week five. Andrew Graham: Like, yeah, is that gonna that that camaraderie gonna help you when you gotta guard Steph? To quote KD. like Jeremiah Smith's kind of approaching that territory where it's like, I don't care how many like the power of friendship in your secondary, like the dude's unreal. so give me give me the buckeyes. Connor Earegood: Yeah. This is a gross one coming up next, but I love it. Cincinnati at Arizona. Andrew Graham: Big, big twelve implication. Connor Earegood: Gimme Arizona, because they just signed their A D, who's like she's a stud and like fixed their their athletic department, that's about all I know. Other than like last year they were okay. Andrew Graham: Desiree Reed Francois, who I have to admit I was very surprised Connor Earegood: Yeah. Andrew Graham: wasn't an African American woman when I looked her up. Connor Earegood: That is a very black name. She white. Andrew Graham: Desiree Reed Francois, I have to admit, Prime to me to be a black woman, like just straight up. But she's not. But she does a great job. Connor Earegood: Yeah. Andrew Graham: I'm gonna go Cincinnati. I love their offensive line. I never thought I would be like sitting here picking a Scott Satterfield team to win an important like conference game on the road, but here I am. so yeah, go Bearcats. Like quiet little like late night keep ya up you know pack twelve it's kinda the pack twelve after dark. Connor Earegood: I was gonna say I'll probably listen to this Andrew Graham: Vestige. Connor Earegood: in the car. Driving back if it's a night game. I know nothing about the Big Twelve this year. Like I mean I've seen some skirmishes, but Andrew Graham: Are you driving to Madison? Is that what I just picked up on here? Connor Earegood: Yeah, I so I it was cheaper to do that when I booked it back in April and I thought gas prices would also come down. Neither happened and now I don't have a flight so I'm still driving it. But I you know, I don't have car play in my Tahoe. It's an O three and is a beater with a heater. So I'm gonna have CarPlay and I can listen to all my podcasts and search my music and do all sorts of stuff from the CarPlay and stare at the little screen Andrew Graham: That's fantastic. So are you like take taking a rental then? Connor Earegood: as I drive, which is totally safe. Andrew Graham: So wait, are you taking a rental or Connor Earegood: yeah. Then it's just gas and then i i Andrew Graham: Okay, okay. I figured that was like Yeah, that's not Connor Earegood: normally I was you know, usually would try to take my own car and get mileage, but Wisconsin's a little far for that, but Andrew Graham: So when are you leaving? Keep in mind it's about ten o'clock on Friday morning. So I'm assuming you're leaving in like like an hour. fantastic. So you could So when you d when you Connor Earegood: I'm leaving in about half an hour. Yeah. And I'll see you guys there and then Monday. Andrew Graham: take a while to retweet my post of this, I'll know why. It's because you're s 'cause you're 'cause Connor Earegood: Yeah, I mean I no, I'll stop. Andrew Graham: you're sitting somewhere outside of like Connor Earegood: Girls gotta eat. Andrew Graham: South Bend or like Niles, Michigan, just infuriated at the traffic. That was me. Connor Earegood: No. Andrew Graham: That was me on ninety four yesterday. Connor Earegood: It's five and a half hours. It's not bad. I've done it before. I did it for hoop season last year when MSU got absolutely shellacked, sixteen Andrew Graham: Alice. Connor Earegood: threes against, and they rushed the s the court a little bit at Cole Center. And I thought Tom was gonna leave his his team in Madison. I think he wanted to. Deep down, Andrew Graham: Yeah. Connor Earegood: find your own way home. You got NIL money. You can buy a flight. Andrew Graham: Tom is the Tom would be the one to be like you buy you go buy your own plane tickets. I I pay you now. Connor Earegood: Yeah. Andrew Graham: Awesome. Yeah, that's Connor Earegood: On that note, everybody buy your own tickets. Everybody be safe this weekend. Enjoy mitten football. Not only the site Andrew Graham: Enjoy the Detroit News and Connor Earegood: not only the site, but just the concept of mitten football. The con s Andrew Graham: The the concept at large, indeed. Connor Earegood: the s in the spirit of things and things of that nature. Andrew Graham: I guess I should also just say very quickly before we leave, Western has a new AD, Alex Gary. You can read about it on Mitten Football. Seems like a solid hire. Raises money, knows Dan. Check your boxes. So Connor Earegood: Pretty much, pretty much. Andrew Graham: awesome. On that note then, we shall actually finally end. Connor was lovely, as usual. He's doing the mitten with his hand. I will be in the Mitten at Central Michigan this weekend. Connor will be in Madison and we'll have plenty more and we will be back next week. Connor Earegood: Good kid, Mad City. Andrew Graham: And and thank you for listening.